This morning I posted a photo showing animal tracks in the snow. Here it is again, along with a bonus photo:
Well, it’s not a d*g or cat or squirrel. Nope, it’s one of my friends whom I often see walking to work. Here’s a photo taken in 2012:
Yep, it’s an Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus). Several of them live near the spot where I took the photos above, and there’s no doubt in my mind. If you want confirmation, check the photos from a Google search of “rabbit tracks in snow”. ]
Why the big prints followed by small ones? Backpack explains:
As it hops, an animal’s smaller front feet tend to land first, followed by the larger back feet, which plant ahead of the front feet. Picture a rabbit planting its front paws and swinging its back paws in front as it bounces through the snow. Clumps of four prints indicate that a hopper has passed through.
Well, it looks as though the front feet often land in the same small area, but there’s no doubt it’s a bunny. And, like me, Mr. Bun-Bun is bereft of food, for the grass he eats is covered with snow.
Makes sense – I gather that in the snow, they hop like that – but in the grass, I’ve seen them sorta crawl around but also hop –
IOW hell no they won’t crawl around in snow, it’s damn cold and will melt on their fur and they’ll be sad bunnies!
We love our yard bunnies: Fluffy (born this year; has small ears and looks like a fluff ball), Stripey (about three years old, probably her last year; prominent longitudinal white stripe on each side), and Big (a new arrival this fall; the biggest Eastern Cottontail I’ve ever seen!).
I thought they were rabbit tracks! We have a lot around our WV property, although they were a bit scarce this year. Of course the fox numbers were higher than usual this spring, which probably explains the low rabbit sitings. Every season is a bit different. The other night I also heard several coyotes howling away up river from our place, which was unusual & exciting. Concerning, as well- don’t want my pups to stumble into a large pack!
OK Prof Big Shot I (heart) Chicago Coyne … you got rabbits! Kewl.
Over here in the Big Apple we’ve got RATS! And they’re BIG and mug you for pizza! They take the SUBWAY… not just cutsie little tracks in the snow!!
Bunnies! HA!
D.A.
NYC
That bought back fond memories of being a young boy in Wisconsin & rabbit tracks (Easter Cottontail) in the snow. Where I am now we have a west coast relative, the brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani) — cute & compact — and only occasional snow for tracks.