Natural History:
The presence of swamp rabbits in an area is readily determined by accumulations of fecal pellets on emergent logs, rocks, and dry platforms of soil or plant material in wet or swampy areas. Being semiaquatic, these rabbits swim with ease and even dive beneath the water. Floods are perhaps one of their greatest hazards, and when high waters occur the swamp rabbit retreats to brushy uplands nearby. While the eastern cottontail and the swamp rabbit share the same general community, the latter is less inclined to leave wet areas and move to dry hillsides. As is true with the eastern cottontail, the swamp rabbit goes through periods of great abundance, alternating with periods of scarcity.
Adults may attain the following dimensions: total length 490-540 mm; tail 54-71 mm; hind foot 105-110 mm; ear 67-77 mm; weight 1280-2020 grams.
All kinds of green vegetation, including emergent aquatic plants and others associated with their community, are eaten. In winter, stems of trees and shrubs are consumed by swamp rabbits as alternate foods.
The presence of swamp rabbits in an area is readily determined by accumulations of fecal pellets on emergent logs, rocks, and dry platforms of soil or plant material in wet or swampy areas. Being semiaquatic, these rabbits swim with ease and even dive beneath the water. Floods are perhaps one of their greatest hazards, and when high waters occur the swamp rabbit retreats to brushy uplands nearby. While the eastern cottontail and the swamp rabbit share the same general community, the latter is less inclined to leave wet areas and move to dry hillsides. As is true with the eastern cottontail, the swamp rabbit goes through periods of great abundance, alternating with periods of scarcity.
Adults may attain the following dimensions: total length 490-540 mm; tail 54-71 mm; hind foot 105-110 mm; ear 67-77 mm; weight 1280-2020 grams.
All kinds of green vegetation, including emergent aquatic plants and others associated with their community, are eaten. In winter, stems of trees and shrubs are consumed by swamp rabbits as alternate foods.
As with rabbits in general, the swamp rabbit is prolific, generally producing two litters a year of one to six young each (usually three or four). After a gestation period of 39 to 40 days (longer than in other Sylvilagus ), the young are born in a nest of dry grasses and stems lined with the soft underfur of the female. The nest is placed in a depression on the surface of the ground or along the edge of a log or stone. In this respect it is much like the nest of the eastern cottontail. The young are only 56 grams in weight at birth, but they are better covered with hair and are more advanced in body growth than in other species of cottontails. The eyes open in two or three days and at that time they are able to move about feebly. Like other cottontails, swamp rabbit females usually nurse their young once each day and remain away from their nests at other times, perhaps to avoid attracting predators to the nests.