Who is the wood rabbit?
You may see rabbits in your backyard all the time, however, did you know that there are two different species of cottontail in the Hudson Valley- one native and one invasive? New England cottontails (Sylvilagus transitionalis, NEC), also known as the wood rabbit, are the only native cottontail east of the Hudson River. These rabbits live in wooded shrublands also known as young forests. Not only are they a part of our natural heritage, but they are an important prey species for bobcat, coyote, fox, skunk and weasels.
The problem: the New England cottontail's range has declined by over 86% in the past century. Once spanning across much of New England, the New England cottontail is now only found in five geographically isolated areas (Figure 1). They are extirpated from Vermont and functionally extirpated from Rhode Island. Their decline has been attributed to several factors, but habitat loss is widely thought to be the primary cause. In addition, recovery efforts have been stymied by the increase in habitat fragmentation, the invasion of exotic plants which alter habitat quality, and competition with a non-native competitor, the eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus, EC). Fragmentation results in small, isolated patches of habitat that are associated with poor quality forage and a high risk of predation, while invasive exotic plants leaves little for these rabbits to forage on that has nutritional value. The widespread invasion of the NEC historic range by the eastern cottontails has serious consequences also, as this introduced rabbit occupies similar habitat and competes for resources. With these factors in mind, conservation of NEC is necessary to ensure their future.
Why are they imperiled?
Habitat lossNew England cottontails are a shrubland obligate, meaning they rely on a dense layer of understory vegetation for protection and food. As young forests age, the canopy thickens, shading out important shrubs, saplings, and other herbaceous vegetation. Historically, beaver, fire and other natural disturbances continually created new young forests; however, these factors are now suppressed by humans. As a result, young forests have declined significantly. Without enough habitat to sustain them, New England cottontails are now vulnerable to extinction.
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CompetitionOnce the only cottontail in the area, New England cottontails now face competition with a non-native species, the eastern cottontail. Though they may look identical to the untrained eye, these rabbits behave very differently. Eastern cottontails are typically larger, with some key features that make them better at surviving in a variety of environments, such as larger ears and eyes. These advantages allow eastern cottontails to beat New England cottontails to unoccupied habitats and out-compete them for food and cover resources.
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Habitat fragmentationNot only have young forests and woodlands declined significantly, but much of the habitat that is left has been broken in small patches surrounded by barriers like roads and human developments. Once large swaths of woodlands are now severely fragmented, leaving the New England cottontails no paths to get from one patch to another. The result is small, isolated patches of habitat that are associated with poor quality forage and a high risk of predation, and no avenue for escape to better habitat. These patches of habitat may even become sink patches, meaning that more cottontails die than are born there.
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