# Eastern Cottontail (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) The Eastern Cottontail is a fluffy rabbit with big ears and a cute cotton-like tail. They love to hop around in gardens and fields, munching on grass and veggies! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 244 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Cottontail Rabbit ![Eastern Cottontail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eastern_Cottontail_%28Sylvilagus_floridanus%29.JPG&width=800) Photo: The High Fin Sperm Whale, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eastern_Cottontail_%28Sylvilagus_floridanus%29.JPG) ## Appearance The Eastern Cottontail has soft, brownish-gray fur with a distinctive fluffy white tail that resembles a cotton ball. Its underside is light gray to white, and it possesses large eyes and prominent ears. Its earth-toned coat helps it blend into natural surroundings. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Lagomorpha - **Family:** Leporidae - **Genus:** Sylvilagus ## Interesting facts - Wow! A cottontail can jump an impressive 15 feet in a single powerful bound! - Wow! Cottontail teeth never stop growing, so they constantly gnaw to keep them short! - Wow! Each year, a female cottontail can have up to seven litters of baby bunnies! - Wow! They eat their own special poop, called cecotropes, to get extra nutrients! ## Special abilities - **Zigzag Escape Artist:** Eastern Cottontails can run in unpredictable zigzags that help them confuse and escape from chasing predators. - **Super Sense Hearer:** Eastern Cottontails have large, swiveling ears that help them pinpoint predator sounds from a distance. - **Camouflage Cloak:** Eastern Cottontails have earth-toned fur that helps them blend perfectly into their habitat, avoiding detection. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 38-48 cm - **Weight:** 0.8-1.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 29 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-8 - **Gestation:** 28-30 days ## Diet & Feeding These herbivores munch on various plants, like grasses, leaves, and twigs, to get all their energy. - **Age differences:** Young kits drink mother's milk, then slowly transition to solid plant foods. - **Primary Foods:** Grasses, Clovers, Dandelions, Tree bark, Alfalfa, Twigs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Coyotes actively hunt cottontails for food. - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Hawks spot and capture cottontails from above. - **Eaten by:** [Bobcat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bobcat) (*Lynx rufus*) — Bobcats are skilled predators of cottontail rabbits. - **Eats:** [Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — Cottontails frequently consume dandelion leaves. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a rabbit, watch quietly from a distance. Don't try to touch or chase them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Eastern Cottontail? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Eastern Cottontail? 38-48 cm ### How much does Eastern Cottontail weigh? 0.8-1.5 kg ### How long does Eastern Cottontail live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Eastern Cottontail move? 29 km/h ### What does Eastern Cottontail eat? These herbivores munch on various plants, like grasses, leaves, and twigs, to get all their energy. ### Where is Eastern Cottontail usually found? Grasslands ### How does Eastern Cottontail hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Ambler Heights Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ambler-heights-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Ames Nowell State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ames-nowell-state-park) — Massachusetts, US · State Park - [Anderson Japanese Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anderson-japanese-gardens) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden - [Arnold Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arnold-arboretum) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Batesville East Main Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/batesville-east-main-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District [View all places to see Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/eastern-cottontail) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) - [Brown Rat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-rat) (*Rattus norvegicus*) --- Source: [Eastern Cottontail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail)