Eastern cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus · Leporidae

The eastern cottontail is a species of rabbit in the family Leporidae. It is the most widespread and abundant rabbit species in North America, inhabiting a wide range that extends from southern Canada throughout most of the United States and into parts of Mexico, Central America, and the northern regions of South America. Known for its distinctive fluffy white tail, which resembles a cotton ball and gives the species its common name, the eastern cottontail typically inhabits open fields, meadows, and brushy areas where it can easily find cover and food.

Where the Eastern cottontail lives

Recorded in United States of America, Canada and Mexico (North America).

Most records fall in Ontario, Texas, Florida, Massachusetts, Illinois and Minnesota.

See the Eastern cottontail’s range on the globe

Conservation status

Least concern (LC). Not at risk: it is doing well in the wild. Categories are the IUCN Red List as republished by GBIF.

Sources

The range is a density of 151,780 georeferenced GBIF records, not an expert-drawn map. Description from Wikipedia.