Rabbits
| Life | The Eastern Cottontail rabbit is a native species to Canada. They are incredibly fast — able to reach speeds of about 70 km/hour. This speed is necessary since they have numerous predators. |
| Home | Wooded areas and meadows, city parks, golf courses, and yards. |
| Food | Leafy plants, buds, twigs, bark, and vegetables. |
| Young | They are capable of producing 3 litters a year, with about 5 young in each litter. Within about a month, the babies have matured and left the nest. |
A mother will return to her nest only once or twice a day to feed her young, usually first thing in the morning and during the night. The mother tries to stay away from the nest as much as possible, so that she does not attract predators to her vulnerable young. For this reason, many baby rabbits are falsely suspected of being orphaned.
If you find a nest of baby rabbitsÂ
If you come across a nest and the bunnies are warm and plump, leave them — the mother will return. Do not disturb the nest. However, if a baby rabbit is cold, wet or injured, she needs help. To check whether the mother has returned to the nest, you can place a piece of yarn or string across the nest so that the mother must move it aside to enter. Baby bunnies are always warm if they are being fed and looked after.
