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Wind Cave National Park
Desert Cottontail
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| NPS Photo by Don and Pat Valenti |
| Desert Cottontail - Sylviagus audubonii |
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Class
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Mammalia |
| Order |
Lagomorpha |
| Family |
Leporidae (long ears, long hind legs, short cottony tail).
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| Genus |
Sylviagus |
| Species |
audubonii |
Name/
History |
Desert cottontail |
Size
Weight (lbs) |
Male
1.4-2.75
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Female
1.4-2.75
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Young
1.2-2 oz
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| Height (in) |
12-15
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12-15
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| Ear (in) |
3-4 |
| Mate |
March-September (varies with area) |
| Gestation |
1 month |
| Birth |
April-October born blind |
| # young |
2-6 |
| Age |
2 years |
Habitat/
Range |
Open plains, foothills, low valley, grass, sage, brush. Found from the Rocky Mountain states south to Mexico.
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| Food |
Herbs, forbs, grasses |
| Enemies |
Coyote, badger, skunk, eagles, bobcat, raccoon, hawk, rattlesnake |
| Disease |
Ticks, leptospirosis |
| Communication |
Death screams, foot pounding |
Behavior/
Characteristics |
It has a larger body size, bigger ears, and grayer fur than cottontails.
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Did You Know?
Fire is an important factor in protecting the prairie. Historically, fires burned across the prairie every 4 to 7 years. Fires burn the small trees that would otherwise march across the prairie and turn the grasslands to forest.
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Last Updated: August 11, 2007 at 17:41 EST |
