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Mountain Cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii).
Date of admission: May, 2026.
Patient History:
The Mountain Cottontail is a native rabbit species found in Alberta’s foothills, grasslands, and shrublands. Smaller and more compact than the better-known White-tailed Jackrabbit, these secretive little rabbits rely on dense cover and camouflage to stay safe from predators.
Mountain cottontails are most active at dawn and dusk, feeding on grasses, shrubs, and wild plants. In spring and summer, mothers raise several litters of tiny kits in shallow, carefully hidden ground nests lined with grass and fur. These young are born blind and vulnerable, depending entirely on their mother in their earliest days.
When nests are disturbed by landscaping, development, pets, or other human activity, young cottontails may arrive at AIWC in need of specialized care. Rabbit rehabilitation can be particularly delicate, especially for neonates only days old, requiring careful husbandry, specialized feeding, and minimal stress to support healthy development.
While Mountain Cottontails have historically been less common patients than hares at AIWC, we saw a dramatic increase in admissions in 2025, with 44 mountain cottontails admitted, and already have our first young patient of 2026 in care. Whether this reflects population shifts, urban expansion, or increased overlap with people, one thing is clear: these tiny rabbits are arriving in greater need of support.
From fragile newborn kits to independent young rabbits preparing for release, rehabilitation can be a long road. But each step brings them closer to returning to Alberta’s wild spaces.
Your sponsorship helps provide formula and nutrition, medical care, habitat support, and the specialized rehabilitation these sensitive young rabbits need to grow strong and return to the wild.