# Swamp Rabbit (*Sylvilagus aquaticus*) Swamp Rabbits are big, fluffy rabbits that love to live in wet areas like swamps and marshes. They are great swimmers and can hop fast to escape from danger! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Swamp Rabbit](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Swamp_Rabbit_%28Sylvilagus_aquaticus%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: glenn_e_wilson, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Swamp_Rabbit_%28Sylvilagus_aquaticus%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Swamp Rabbit has coarse, grizzled brown-black fur on its back, a white belly, and a distinctive reddish-brown patch on its hind legs. Its small, dark tail helps distinguish it from other cottontails, and it often appears muddy. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Lagomorpha - **Family:** Leporidae - **Genus:** Sylvilagus ## Interesting facts - Eating plants and spreading seeds helps new growth sprout in their wetland homes! - Swamp Rabbits nest in hollow logs or elevated ground, staying safe from floods. - They are sometimes called 'Cane Cutters' because they often live in cane thickets! - They thump their strong hind legs on the ground to warn other swamp rabbits of danger! ## Special abilities - **Aquatic Agility:** Swamp Rabbits can swim and dive expertly using their strong, web-like feet to escape predators in water. - **Wetland Hoppers:** Swamp Rabbits have long, powerful hind legs and large feet that help them leap through muddy, wet environments with ease. - **Muddy Camouflage:** Swamp Rabbits have grizzled brown fur that helps them blend perfectly with the dark, muddy banks of their swamp homes. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 45-55 cm - **Weight:** 1.5-2.7 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-3 years - **Speed:** 56 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-6 - **Gestation:** 35-40 days ## Diet & Feeding These rabbits munch on various leafy plants, grasses, and bark found in their wetland homes. - **Primary Foods:** grasses, sedges, rushes, aquatic plants, bark, twigs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Alligator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-alligator) (*Alligator mississippiensis*) — Alligators prey on rabbits in wetland areas. - **Eaten by:** [Bobcat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bobcat) (*Lynx rufus*) — Bobcats hunt swamp rabbits as a food source. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Great Horned Owls are aerial predators of rabbits. - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Coyotes often hunt swamp rabbits for food. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## 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 and don't try to touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Swamp Rabbit? 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 Swamp Rabbit? 45-55 cm ### How much does Swamp Rabbit weigh? 1.5-2.7 kg ### How long does Swamp Rabbit live? 1-3 years ### How fast can Swamp Rabbit move? 56 km/h ### What does Swamp Rabbit eat? These rabbits munch on various leafy plants, grasses, and bark found in their wetland homes. ### Where is Swamp Rabbit usually found? Wetlands ### How does Swamp Rabbit hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Ellen Trout Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ellen-trout-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo - [South Arkansas Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-arkansas-arboretum) — Arkansas, US · Botanical Garden - [Cypress Grove Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cypress-grove-park) — Tennessee, US · Park [View all places to see Swamp Rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/swamp-rabbit) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Swamp Rabbit: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/swamp-rabbit)