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(Sylvilagus nuttallii). Patient Number 25-282 to 285.
Date of admission: May 24, 2025.
Reason for admission: Orphaned.
Patient History:
The Mountain Cottontail is a native rabbit species found throughout the foothills, grasslands, and shrub-covered areas of western North America, including parts of Alberta. This species is smaller and more compact than its prairie cousin, the White-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii), also known as the White-tailed Prairie Hare, which is commonly seen in our care. Unlike jackrabbits, which are hares, Mountain Cottontails are true rabbits—smaller, with shorter ears and hind legs.
Mountain Cottontails are easily identified by their buffy-brown to grey-brown fur, white belly, and their namesake fluffy white tail. They typically measure between 13 to 15 inches long and weigh around 2 to 3 pounds. Their relatively small size and secretive nature make them less frequently seen than other hare species in Alberta.
This species prefers habitats with dense shrub cover near open spaces, often in coulees, grasslands, or lightly forested areas. Their diet consists mostly of grasses and shrubs, with a preference for sagebrush, clover, and other herbaceous plants. Like many rabbits, they are crepuscular—most active at dawn and dusk, while staying hidden during the day to avoid predators.
Mountain Cottontails have a reproductive cycle similar to that of Eastern Cottontails. Breeding typically occurs from March through August, and females can produce several litters of 2 to 6 young each season. Nests are shallow ground scrapes lined with grass and fur. The young, called kits, are born blind and helpless but grow quickly, leaving the nest within 2 to 3 weeks.
At AIWC, Mountain Cottontails are less common patients than White-tailed Jackrabbits, but we currently have 7 young kits in our care. These individuals will remain with us until they are old enough, healthy, and fully independent—ready to be released back into their natural habitat where they can thrive.