Mountain Cottontail

The mountain cottontail or Nuttall's cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii) is a species of rabbit found in western Canada and the United States. It is a medium- to small-sized rabbit with pale brown fur, white undersides, a two-colored tail, and black-tipped, rounded ears with densely furred insides. It has notably rusty-colored legs and an orange nape. The mountain cottontail appears largely among coniferous forests in mountainous regions, including the slopes of the Rocky Mountains and the Cascade-Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, and adapts to a variety of elevations and vegetation. Its diet is made up of various grasses, shrubs, and sagebrush, as well as twigs, bark, or fungi in lesser amounts or when foliage is scarce. The mountain cottontail was first described in 1837 by naturalist John Bachman and named Lepus nuttallii; the specific name commemorates zoologist Thomas Nuttall. Wikipedia →