Swamp Rabbit
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| Sylvilagus aquaticus (Bachman, 1837) |
The Swamp Rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus) is a large cottontail rabbit found in the swamps and wetlands of the Southern United States.
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[edit] Appearance
S. aquaticus is similar in appearance to other cottontails, although it is among the largest members of the genus. They are generally brown, with the bottom of their stubby tails colored white. Adult male and female specimens of this species weigh between three and six pounds (1.5 - 2.7 kg). It is uncommon in rabbits for the female to weigh as much as the male.
[edit] Diet and nesting habits
The Swamp Rabbit eats reeds, plants, and grasses native to its marshy habitat. Swamp Rabbits nest above ground in small dens made of dead plants and lined with its shed fur. When fleeing a predator, the Swamp Rabbit can run over 45 miles per hour, usually in an evasive zig-zag pattern.
S. aquaticus is a skilled swimmer, often crossing streams, ponds and rivers. The semi-aquatic cottontail will occasionally hide from natural enemies by sitting still in shallow water, exposing only its nose to the air to breathe.
[edit] Trivia
In 1979 the Swamp Rabbit enjoyed a brief stint of notoriety when one of its number had a close encounter with Jimmy Carter. In April of that year, as President Carter was fishing on a small pond on his farm, a visibly agitated Swamp Rabbit approached his boat and tried to board. Carter used a paddle to splash water at the rabbit in order to dissuade it from swimming towards the boat. The press dubbed this the "Killer Rabbit", in honour of the similarly violent rabbit in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The incident was photographed, and the image is in the public domain courtesy of The Jimmy Carter Library.
[edit] References
- Lagomorph Specialist Group (1996). Sylvilagus aquaticus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
