Sylvilagus floridanus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	LAGOMORPHA	LEPORIDAE

Scientific Name:

Sylvilagus floridanus

Species Authority:

(J.A. Allen, 1890)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Eastern Cottontail
Spanish	–	Conejo Castellano

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Mexican Association for Conservation and Study of Lagomorphs (AMCELA), Romero Malpica, F.J. & Rangel Cordero, H.

Evaluator/s:

Smith, A.T. & Boyer, A.F. (Lagomorph Red List Authority)

Justification:
Sylvilagus floridanus is the most widely distributed species of Sylvilagus and is abundant throughout its range (Chapman et al. 1980). This species has been introduced in regions of North America and Europe, and is expanding its range by displacing other Leporids (Chapman and Ceballos 1990).

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Sylvilagus floridanus is widely distributed throughout the USA (eastern USA east of the Rocky Mountains, portions of southwest and northwest), Central America (central and eastern Mexico, southwestern Guatemala, southern Honduras, El Salvador, central Nicaragua, northwestern Costa Rica), and occurs in southern Canada (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec) and the northern part of South America (Colombia and Venezuela) (Chapman et al. 1980). S. floridanus can survive in diverse habitats, allowing the range to spread quickly (Chapman and Ceballos 1990).
Countries:	Native: Canada (Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, Saskatchewan); Colombia; Costa Rica; El Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras; Mexico (Aguascalientes, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos, México Distrito Federal, México State, Nayarit, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatán, Zacatecas); Nicaragua; United States (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming); Venezuela
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Sylvilagus floridanus is abundant and widespread, and is a highly effective colonizer. New populations of S. floridanus have been successfully introduced outside its range, and in some cases, S. floridanus has been known to displace native Leporids, including S. transitionalis (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). Peak densities have been recorded at eight to ten individuals per ha (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). In Virginia, the population has declined over the past fifty years or so. This decline may be due to the loss of early successional habitat that is being turned into farmland and is exacerbated by an increase in the cottontail's predators. In most years, 80% or more of the adult cottontails are killed. However, in areas where there is good habitat there are still abundant populations (Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries).
Population Trend:	Increasing

Population:

Sylvilagus floridanus is abundant and widespread, and is a highly effective colonizer. New populations of S. floridanus have been successfully introduced outside its range, and in some cases, S. floridanus has been known to displace native Leporids, including S. transitionalis (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). Peak densities have been recorded at eight to ten individuals per ha (Chapman and Ceballos 1990).

In Virginia, the population has declined over the past fifty years or so. This decline may be due to the loss of early successional habitat that is being turned into farmland and is exacerbated by an increase in the cottontail's predators. In most years, 80% or more of the adult cottontails are killed. However, in areas where there is good habitat there are still abundant populations (Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries).

Population Trend:

Increasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The historical habitat of Sylvilagus floridanus was diverse, including deserts, swamps, glades, prairies, rain forests, boreal forests, hardwood forests, and woodlands (Chapman et al. 1980). In developed areas, S. floridanus survives well in farmland, pasture, and hedgerows (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). The diet of S. floridanus is variable, depending on the type of habitat and the season, including woody plants in the dormant season and herbaceous plants in the growing season (Chapman et al. 1980). Breeding season varies depending on elevation and latitude, with breeding activity beginning later at higher elevations and northern latitudes (Chapman et al. 1980). Average gestation time is 28 days and size at birth ranges from 3.06-5.06 cm (Lorenzo and Cervantes 2005). Litter sizes are 3-5 with 3-4 litters per year (Lorenzo and Cervantes 2005). Total length ranges from 33.5-48.5 cm (Lorenzo and Cervantes 2005).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

The historical habitat of Sylvilagus floridanus was diverse, including deserts, swamps, glades, prairies, rain forests, boreal forests, hardwood forests, and woodlands (Chapman et al. 1980). In developed areas, S. floridanus survives well in farmland, pasture, and hedgerows (Chapman and Ceballos 1990).

The diet of S. floridanus is variable, depending on the type of habitat and the season, including woody plants in the dormant season and herbaceous plants in the growing season (Chapman et al. 1980). Breeding season varies depending on elevation and latitude, with breeding activity beginning later at higher elevations and northern latitudes (Chapman et al. 1980). Average gestation time is 28 days and size at birth ranges from 3.06-5.06 cm (Lorenzo and Cervantes 2005). Litter sizes are 3-5 with 3-4 litters per year (Lorenzo and Cervantes 2005). Total length ranges from 33.5-48.5 cm (Lorenzo and Cervantes 2005).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Although abundant, subpopulations of Sylvilagus floridanus are at risk from hunting pressure (sport and local subsistence) throughout its range, human perturbation, and predation from invasive alien species. In some locations it is threatened by livestock competition and habitat fragmentation.

Major Threat(s):

Although abundant, subpopulations of Sylvilagus floridanus are at risk from hunting pressure (sport and local subsistence) throughout its range, human perturbation, and predation from invasive alien species. In some locations it is threatened by livestock competition and habitat fragmentation.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Sylvilagus floridanus is the most important regulated game animal in the USA. While S. floridanus does not appear to be declining, it has spread and has been introduced widely outside its original range, where it sometimes presents a threat to sympatric species, such as S. transitionalis in north-eastern USA (Chapman and Ceballos 1990). Research is needed regarding taxonomy, distribution, population size, and to determine how S. floridanus affects other species.

Conservation Actions:

Sylvilagus floridanus is the most important regulated game animal in the USA. While S. floridanus does not appear to be declining, it has spread and has been introduced widely outside its original range, where it sometimes presents a threat to sympatric species, such as S. transitionalis in north-eastern USA (Chapman and Ceballos 1990).

Research is needed regarding taxonomy, distribution, population size, and to determine how S. floridanus affects other species.

Citation:	Mexican Association for Conservation and Study of Lagomorphs (AMCELA), Romero Malpica, F.J. & Rangel Cordero, H. 2008. Sylvilagus floridanus. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 04 December 2008.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the Copyright and Data Disclaimer.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided