The Web of Life Sabino Canyon  
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Desert Cottontail Rabbit

 

Did you know that cottontail rabbits live alone and that males fight for their territory and for mates?


Photo by DesertUSA
Used with permission

Cottontail Rabbit Quick Facts:

Color: grayish-brown (in our desert), white on tail and underside
Length: 12 inches long
Weight: 1 3/4 to 3 1/2 pounds
Description: large back legs for hopping, long ears, short, fluffy white tail
Young: 2 to 6, called "kittens"
Food: *herbivores* that eat grasses, leafy plants, bark, twigs
Predators: foxes, coyotes, owls, dogs, humans
Home: called a "burrow" (dug by another animal) or a "nest" (on the ground lined with grass)
Active: diurnal and nocturnal (but most active in the evening)

Even More Interesting Facts:

Protection: can freeze for up to 15 minutes
Kittens: mother can have 3 or 4 litters per year (18-24 kittens each year)
Burrows: move into burrow built by other animals

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