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The Swamp rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus) is a large cottontail rabbit found in the southern United States. As its name implies it has a strong preference for wet areas, and it will readily take to the water and swim.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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CoprophageCoprophage animals are those that consume feces. Domesticated and wild mammals are sometimes coprophagic, and in some species, this forms an essent...
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GranivoreSeed predation, often referred to as granivory, is a type of plant-animal interaction in which granivores (seed predators) feed on the seeds of pla...
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LignivoreTe
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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JumpingJumping (saltation) can be distinguished from running, galloping, and other gaits where the entire body is temporarily airborne by the relatively l...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolygynandryPolygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season.
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Swamp cotton tail is the largest of the cottontail species, although its ears are smaller than those of other cottontails. Males are slightly larger than females. The head and back are typically dark or rusty brown or black, while the throat, ventral surface, and tail are white, and there is a cinnamon-colored ring around the eye. Their sides, rump, tail, and feet are brownish, and they have a pinkish-cinnamon eye-ring.
Swamp rabbits are found in much of the south-central United States and along the Gulf Coast. They are most abundant in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, but also occur in South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Georgia. They prefer to live close to lowland water, often in cypress swamps, marshland, floodplain, and river tributaries.
Swamp rabbits are solitary territorial animals. They spend much of their time in depressions which they dig in tall grass or leaves, providing cover while they wait until the nighttime to forage. Although they feed mainly at night rain showers often cause them to feed during the daytime as well. Swap rabbits have a strong preference for wet areas and are excellent swimmers. They have several adaptations to avoid predators: cryptic coloration, "freezing", and rapid, irregular jumping patterns. They will also get into the water and lay still surrounded by brush or plant debris with only their nose visible.
Swamp rabbits are herbivorous (graminivores, folivores, coprophages, granivores, lignivores). They eat grasses, sedges, shrubs, tree bark seedlings, and twigs.
Swamp rabbits are polygynandrous (promiscuous) meaning that both males and females have multiple mates. Breeding season varies widely across the range but usually takes place anywhere between February and August, and can occur year-round in Texas. The gestation period lasts 35 to 40 days and females can have 1 to 3 litters a year with each litter consisting of 4 to 6 young. The nests in which the young are born consist of a slight depression in the earth that is filled with grasses mixed with rabbit hair. The young are altricial; they have well-developed fur but their eyes are closed and they are immobile. Their eyes open by day 3 and they begin walking. The young are usually weaned after about 15 days of age and are ready to leave their nest. They become reproductively mature at 7 months of age and reach adult weight 3 months later.
Swamp rabbits are not endangered at present, however, they suffer greatly from the loss of their native habitat. They are also hunted for fur, meat, and sport, and are the second-most commonly hunted rabbits in the United States.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Swamp rabbit total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.
Swamp rabbits play an important role in their ecosystem. Due to their diet habits, they influence plant communities and keep them grow healthy. Swamp rabbits are also an important prey item for local predators, especially during snowy/wintry seasons.