Cottontail rabbit

Cottontail rabbits
Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus). Cottontail Rabbits eat grass, ferns, and leaves.
Scientific classification
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Sylvilagus

Gray, 1867
Species

16, see text

Cottontail rabbits live in America. They are any of several North, Central and South American rabbit species of the genus Sylvilagus.

Description

Most cottontail rabbits of the genus have a short tail with a white underside that shows when they are running away. This gives them their name, "cottontails." However, this feature is not present in all cottontails. Some can be different.

The cottontail rabbit lives most across North America, Central America, and South America. Most species live in nests called forms.

Cottontail rabbits do not get the disease myxomatosis as easily as European rabbits.

Species

The visible cottontail of a desert rabbit

References

  1. ↑ Hoffmann, Robert S.; Smith, Andrew T. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 207–211. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
  2. ↑ "cottontail (mammal genus) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia". britannica.com. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  3. ↑ "Eastern Cottontail Rabbit | National Geographic". Animals. 2011-05-10. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
  4. ↑ "Basic Information Sheet: Cottontail Rabbit". LafeberVet. 2014-09-28. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
  5. ↑ Carter, G.Rr; Wise, D.J. (2006). "Poxviridae". A Concise Review of Veterinary Virology. Archived from the original on 2005-06-26. Retrieved 2006-06-13.
  6. ↑ 'Hefner' bunnies get help as population dwindles, May 20 2007, CNN.com, Retrieved May 20 2007