Bill Harrah
Wolf Run Studio
P.O. Box 444
Clifton VA 20124

Phone:
(703) 250-6711
Fax:
(703) 764-9204

 

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The Eastern cottontail thrives almost everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains. Preferred habitats include brushy areas near swamps and forest edges. They are also frequently found in suburban residential areas that have succulent fertilized grasses and lush landscape plantings. Cottontail rabbits are named for their white tails, which resemble balls of cotton.

Unlike other types of rabbits, cottontails do not dig their own burrows, but use well camouflaged surface nesting places, or the burrows of other animals. Nests are lined with grass and soft fur.

The species reproduces in great numbers. Females are capable of producing up to five litters of three to eight young in a single season. Newly born cottontails are blind at birth and lightly furred. They become self-sufficient at about two weeks of age and remain in the nest until that time.

Rabbits are an important food source for a variety of predatory animals, including cats, foxes, hawks, and owls. These predators help keep the species’ large numbers under control.

Text © 1995 Dianne Harrah, Drawing © 1995 Bill Harrah.
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Snowshoe hares earn their name from their huge rear feet. By winter, their feet are padded with short, dense fur that provides insulation and enables the hares to scamper across the thinnest snow crusts. They are also known as varying hares because of their seasonal changes of coat color. Their winter coat is white except for black tips on their long ears. Between seasons, the outer coat is gradually shed to reveal a patchwork of white and brown, which turns to a dark brown in the summer. Regardless of the season, snowshoe hares are well camouflaged.

These medium-sized hares live in forests and swamps of Canada and the northern United States, including Alaska. They also can be seen in mountains as far south as New Mexico in the west and Tennessee in the east. They feed on a variety of plant life, including grasses and leaves. In the winter, they settle for twigs, buds, and evergreen needles.

Text © 2001 Terry White, Drawing © 2001 Bill Harrah.

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