![]() ![]() Habitat parameters important for eastern cottontails in ponderosa pine, mixed species, and pinyon ( Pinus spp.)-juniper ( Juniperus spp.) woodlands include woody debris, herbaceous and shrubby understories, and patchiness. The essential components of eastern cottontail habitat are an abundance of well-distributed escape cover (dense shrubs) interspersed with more open foraging areas such as grasslands and pastures. Optimal eastern cottontail habitat includes open grassy areas, clearings, and old fields supporting abundant green grasses and herbs, with shrubs in the area or edges for cover. The population in the mountains of the southwestern United States and western Mexico is now thought to be a distinct species, the robust cottontail ( S. In the 1950s and 1960s, the eastern cottontail was introduced to France and northern Italy, where it displayed a rapid territorial expansion and increase in population density. It has also been introduced into parts of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Originally, it was not found in New England, but it has been introduced and now competes for habitat there with the native New England cottontail. Its range expanded north as forests were cleared by settlers. It is also found on the Caribbean island of Margarita. The eastern cottontail can be found in meadows and shrubby areas in the eastern and south-central United States, southern Canada, eastern Mexico, Central America and northernmost South America. It is the most common rabbit species in North America. The eastern cottontail ( Sylvilagus floridanus) is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. Eastern cottontail range (includes range of S. ![]()
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