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Dedicated to a better understanding of cottontail rabbits
Dedicated to a better understanding of cottontail rabbits
Did you ever wonder how long rabbits can live? Some pet rabbits live for more than 10 years! What about a wild rabbit? The most common rabbit in the USA is the cottontail. Many biologists and observers tell us that these amazing animals only live about 2 years, while a few live a bit longer.
Read my true story, Longevity of 'Lady', about an awesome wild desert cottontail rabbit.
Read my true story, Longevity of 'Lady', about an awesome wild desert cottontail rabbit.
Lady lived for more than seven years, wild and free and never in captivity!
Lady.pdf
Who am I?
Who am I?
Just a retired college teacher with plenty of time, now, to 'play' with my favorite wild animals. Picture was taken summer of 2022, and that's Lady I'm pointing to. (Lower wall in the background is the one mentioned in my story; all the adult cottontails can jump up on to a ledge at the top. From that ledge the rabbits have easy access to all the yards along the same side of the street. They can also enter yards from drain holes in the walls.)
Where am I?
Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is at a fairly high elevation. My house is at just over 5,400 ft above sea level. The is considered semi-arid, with about 10 inches of precipitation per year. There is a regular change of seasons. Daily highs in summer are usually mid to high 90s. Winter months are cold with temperatures frequently plummeting into the 20s by morning. Snow is common but rarely is there more than a few inches during a storm.
More pics of Lady:
"I prefer petunias, but at least I can rest here on a warm summer morning!"
Just before the colder winter months, cottontails will grow a thick coat of fur. Here, Lady looks like she has been eating too much, but it is mostly fur. The cacti become damaged, but will perk up as the weather improves.
A content Lady
Taken two weeks before she died, Lady took over an empty pot still filled with potting soil. She spent lots of time there during her last days.
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