Marsh Rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris); photo by Cynde Baumann
The marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris) is one of two native species of rabbits that occur in Florida; the other is the Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus). Unlike most rabbits, they are strictly limited to regions with ready access to water. It is a semi-aquatic rabbit found in freshwater and brackish marshes of coastal areas throughout Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. There is also a subspecies of the marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri) which is endangered and only found in the lower Florida Keys.
It tends to be blackish-brown or reddish brown in color with a small inconspicuous gray-brown tail. Unlike the more familiar backyard eastern cottontail rabbit, it has shorter legs and ears. Marsh rabbits are herbivores and feed on the stems and leaves of a variety of marsh plants including cattails, bullrush and other grasses.
The marsh rabbit is less likely to be seen as they stay in the brush to avoid predators in wetland habitats. Their hiding spots are usually in dense thickets of magnolia, black-gum, briers, and cattails. These rabbits are most active at night and at dawn and dusk. They often walk on all fours like a cat rather than hopping, which makes them more agile in dense vegetation along marsh edges. These trails can be identified easily as the rabbits mark active runways with fecal pellets.
Birds of prey, alligators, bobcats and fox are common predators of the marsh rabbit. To avoid danger from predators, they will go to the water to escape. The main threat to marsh rabbits is habitat loss and fragmentation due to development. Hurricanes and coastal flooding can take a significant toll on marsh rabbit populations, particularly young rabbits.
Left: Marsh Rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris); photo by Wildsouthflorida.com
Right: Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus); photo by Wildsouthflorida.com
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