My husband snapped this photo the other day in our backyard. For most backyard gardeners, this is probably not a welcome sight. However, this summer is the first time we have ever seen a rabbit in our yard and it is only one of a handful of sightings that I have seen since moving to New Hampshire in 1984.Growing up in Michigan there were always rabbits running around the neighborhood, so it was very strange to me that when we moved to New Hampshire, they were so rarely seen.
I do not know what kind of rabbit this is, but it would be nice if it were a cottontail. The New England cottontail has been listed as endangered in New Hampshire since 2008. I have read that the more common rabbit to be seen in the state is the Eastern Cottontail (probably what I saw so frequently in Michigan), a species introduced at the beginning of last century for hunting. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), before the 1950s, the New England Cottontail was the more abundant species in New England. After that time, the Eastern Cottontail become more dominant, most likely since it was able to better adapt to the changing developed landscape. It is slightly larger and has larger eyes so it is better able to detect predators. The New England cottontail is smaller and needs to quickly access cover when sensing danger. It also often has black on the outside of the ears and a white spot on the forehead (both in the photo above). I checked the NH Fish and Game website and discovered that we live in one of the few geographic areas of the state where they are known to still exist. Therefore, even if this little guy enjoys snacking on my garden, I welcome his presence in our yard. Even if he is the more common Eastern Cottontail it is still a unique occurrence in our yard.
For further information, including how you can make your property more hospitable for cottontails and other species that thrive in thickets and in low brush areas go to newenglandcottontail.org.
I do not know what kind of rabbit this is, but it would be nice if it were a cottontail. The New England cottontail has been listed as endangered in New Hampshire since 2008. I have read that the more common rabbit to be seen in the state is the Eastern Cottontail (probably what I saw so frequently in Michigan), a species introduced at the beginning of last century for hunting. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), before the 1950s, the New England Cottontail was the more abundant species in New England. After that time, the Eastern Cottontail become more dominant, most likely since it was able to better adapt to the changing developed landscape. It is slightly larger and has larger eyes so it is better able to detect predators. The New England cottontail is smaller and needs to quickly access cover when sensing danger. It also often has black on the outside of the ears and a white spot on the forehead (both in the photo above). I checked the NH Fish and Game website and discovered that we live in one of the few geographic areas of the state where they are known to still exist. Therefore, even if this little guy enjoys snacking on my garden, I welcome his presence in our yard. Even if he is the more common Eastern Cottontail it is still a unique occurrence in our yard.
For further information, including how you can make your property more hospitable for cottontails and other species that thrive in thickets and in low brush areas go to newenglandcottontail.org.
No comments:
Post a Comment