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Lifespan, longevity, and ageing

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Observations: Little is known about the longevity of these animals, though they have been reported to live over 6 years (Philip Altman and Dorothy Dittmer 1962).
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Within the species Sylvilagus bachmani, there are 13 known subspecies.

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Crane, S. and R. Csomos 2002. "Sylvilagus bachmani" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sylvilagus_bachmani.html
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Sara Crane, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rebecca Ann Csomos, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Cynthia Sims Parr, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Behavior

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Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical

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Crane, S. and R. Csomos 2002. "Sylvilagus bachmani" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sylvilagus_bachmani.html
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Sara Crane, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rebecca Ann Csomos, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Cynthia Sims Parr, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Conservation Status

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One subspecies of riparian brush rabbits, S. bachmani riparius, are considered endangered throughout their range under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. This subspecies occurs in the San Joaquin Valley of California and is also considered endangered by the state of California. Population declines are due to many factors, such as loss of natural habitat, wildfire, and disease.

US Federal List: endangered

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

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Crane, S. and R. Csomos 2002. "Sylvilagus bachmani" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sylvilagus_bachmani.html
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Sara Crane, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rebecca Ann Csomos, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Cynthia Sims Parr, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Benefits

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Brush rabbits are sometimes considered a pest because they can cause damage to crops and decorative vegetation. Brush rabbits have also been blamed for depredations on the seedlings planted for forest regeneration, however this is questionable (Verts & Carraway 1998).

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Crane, S. and R. Csomos 2002. "Sylvilagus bachmani" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sylvilagus_bachmani.html
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Sara Crane, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rebecca Ann Csomos, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Cynthia Sims Parr, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Benefits

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Like many other rabbits, brush rabbits are hunted for sport and food. Some may be captured and raised for pets.

Positive Impacts: food ; body parts are source of valuable material

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Crane, S. and R. Csomos 2002. "Sylvilagus bachmani" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sylvilagus_bachmani.html
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Sara Crane, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rebecca Ann Csomos, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Cynthia Sims Parr, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Trophic Strategy

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Brush rabbits are herbivores whose diet varies with the season. Grasses make up a large portion of their diet. However, brush rabbits feed on other species of plants, including leaves, forbs and scrubs such as wild rose and blackberries. Whenever available, green clover is preferred (Chapman 1974, Wilson & Ruff 1999).

Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore )

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Crane, S. and R. Csomos 2002. "Sylvilagus bachmani" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sylvilagus_bachmani.html
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Sara Crane, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rebecca Ann Csomos, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Cynthia Sims Parr, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Distribution

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Sylvilagus bachmani ranges from the Columbia River in Oregon southward to the tip of Baja, California and from east of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges and desert areas west throughout much of California (Wilson & Ruff 1999).

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )

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Crane, S. and R. Csomos 2002. "Sylvilagus bachmani" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sylvilagus_bachmani.html
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Sara Crane, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rebecca Ann Csomos, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Cynthia Sims Parr, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Habitat

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As their name implies, brush rabbits are primarily found in areas with dense brushy cover. Brush rabbits rarely leave the brush for extended periods of time.

Terrestrial Biomes: chaparral ; forest

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Crane, S. and R. Csomos 2002. "Sylvilagus bachmani" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sylvilagus_bachmani.html
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Sara Crane, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rebecca Ann Csomos, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Cynthia Sims Parr, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Morphology

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Brush rabbits are a small to medium sized cottontail. The pelage is evenly dark, consisting of steel gray, black, and orange. The ears are fairly small with a slight point. The tail is not prominent, on the top it is the same dark brown and white underneath.

Sylvilagus bachmani ranges in length from 11 inches to 14 1/2 inches. Females are generally a little bigger than males. The dental formula is 2/1, 3/2, 3/3, totalling 28. (Wilson & Ruff 1999, Verts & Carraway 1998).

Range mass: 0.48 to 0.92 kg.

Average mass: 0.71 kg.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry

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Crane, S. and R. Csomos 2002. "Sylvilagus bachmani" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sylvilagus_bachmani.html
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Sara Crane, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rebecca Ann Csomos, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Cynthia Sims Parr, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Reproduction

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Brush rabbits usually have three litters a year; although four litters are possible. Brush rabbits are not as fecund as other members of the genus. Breeding season for brush rabbits begins in December and lasts until May or June for rabbits in California. Brush rabbits in Oregon breed from February to August. Many breed again soon after giving birth.

The gestation period is about 27 days, with litters sizes of usually 2 to 4 young. The young are born altricial and stay in a lined and covered nest in the ground for about 14 days, opening their eyes on approximately the 10th day. The mother has 4 pairs of mammae and comes to feed her young at night. Maturity is reached at about 4 or 5 months after birth. Young brush rabbits are able to breed the following breeding season. (Chapman 1974, Wilson & Ruff 1999, Verts & Carraway 1998).

Range number of offspring: 2 to 6.

Average number of offspring: 3.5.

Average gestation period: 27 days.

Range weaning age: 14 to 21 days.

Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual

Average birth mass: 28.17 g.

Average gestation period: 27 days.

Average number of offspring: 3.6.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female:
154 days.

Parental Investment: altricial

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Crane, S. and R. Csomos 2002. "Sylvilagus bachmani" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sylvilagus_bachmani.html
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Sara Crane, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rebecca Ann Csomos, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Cynthia Sims Parr, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Brush rabbit

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The brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani), or western brush rabbit, or Californian brush rabbit,[3] is a species of cottontail rabbit found in western coastal regions of North America, from the Columbia River in Oregon to the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. Its range extends as far east as the eastern sides of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges.

Description and taxonomy

Brush rabbit

The brush rabbit is a small rabbit with short legs and a short tail. It is dark gray on the sides and back, and pale gray on the belly and the underside of the tail. The whiskers are mostly black, although some have white tips. Adult rabbits measure anywhere from 303 to 369 mm (11.9 to 14.5 in) in length, and range in weight from 511 to 917 g (18.0 to 32.3 oz).[4]

Large numbers of geographically defined subspecies have been proposed, including in Oregon, ubericolor; in California, cinerascens, mariposae, riparius, tehamae and trowbridgii; and in Baja California, cerrosensis, exiguus, howelli, peninsularis and rosaphagus. Subspecies bachmani, macrorhinus and virgulti are less geographically restricted. Of the various proposed subspecies, only the following are currently recognized; the others are synonyms: S. b. ubericolor, S. b. cinerascens, S. b. bachmani, S. b. exiguus, S. b. howelli, S. b. cerrosensis.[1]

It has been noted that numbers of the eastern cottontail were brought west to reproduce and provide a food source for the settlers. The interbreeding of the two species has occurred where the brush rabbit has in parts of Oregon developed the white cottontail although retaining its smaller size.

Habitat and ecology

Brush rabbits require dense bramble clumps or other thick, brushy habitat. These bramble clumps often have extensive networks of trails and runways. The species occasionally uses burrows made by other species, but does not dig its own. The home range is very small, less than 2,000 m2 (22,000 sq ft).[5]

Brush rabbits most commonly live in chaparral vegetation, but are also found in oak and conifer habitats. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the brush rabbit was found to concentrate its activities at the edge of brush and exhibits much less use of grassy areas. It uses the interior brush of the wilderness, and this may be a better environment for it than the chaparral one. Studies done on the brush rabbit in Oregon also showed that it rarely left the brushy areas it inhabits. Brush may be used more in the drier seasons, while grasses are used in the wetter seasons in relation to growth of annual vegetation. Use of habitat also probably is related to the breeding season.

Distribution

The brush rabbit is confined to the Pacific Coast, from the Columbia River in the north to the tip of Baja, Mexico in the south. It does not occur east of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountain ranges.[5]

Behavior

Brush rabbits forage alone or in small groups. They can be seen sunning in the mid-morning, but are otherwise secretive and wary. They thump the ground with their back feet when startled.[4]

The brush rabbit feeds mainly on grasses and forbs, especially green clover. It also eats berries and browses on shrubs.[4]

A trapping study of the brush rabbit in the Berkeley Hills in Northern California indicated that males had larger home ranges than females at all times of the year, and especially in May when females were moving the least. The home ranges of the brush rabbit are estimated to average just under one acre (4,000 m2) for males and just under one-half acre (2,000 m2) for females. The shapes of these home ranges are usually circular, but depending on the vegetation, can differ in size and shape. Range use probably is not circular in shape or uniform, but rather consists of a series of runways that directly connects high-use areas within brush habitat. Intraspecific sociospatial behavior appears to be variable and may reflect local resource conditions. Several rabbits have been observed to feed in the same area simultaneously, but maintained interindividual distances of 1 to 24 feet (0.3 to 7.3 m) before aggressive chases occurred. Females tended to not overlap, while males showed relatively extensive overlapping; this may indicate that females are territorial. Groups of brush rabbits may serve social purposes, such as predator detection, but this has not been proven.

Reproduction

The brush rabbit's breeding season varies from north to south. In Oregon, breeding begins in February and ends in August, while in California it begins in December and ends in May or June. Litter size also varies between regions. Studies have found the average litter size in Oregon to be 2.8, in northern and central California to be 3.5, and in west central California to be 4.0. The brush rabbit is one of the less fecund members of the genus, producing about 15 young in five to six litters per year.[4] The gestation period of the brush rabbit female is about 22 days, and kits are altricial.

Predators and survival techniques

Its predators include cougar, coyote, fox, bobcat, weasel, and various raptors and snakes. Its survival strategies include remaining immobile when in brushy areas, and zig-zag running when found in open spaces. It also climbs onto low branches to escape from predators and other perceived threats.[4]

Human interaction and conservation status

The brush rabbit is not hunted as are many other cottontail species, probably because of its small size. It is not a major cause of damage to crops or other human developments in its habitat.

While the overall population of brush rabbits is stable, one of its subspecies, the riparian brush rabbit (S. b. riparius), is listed as an endangered species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.[6] Formerly numerous along the San Joaquin River and Stanislaus River, it is now reduced to a population of a few hundred in the Caswell Memorial State Park and is being reintroduced to the adjacent San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge in the San Joaquin Valley, California.[7] This population has been negatively impacted by the destruction of the riparian habitat.[8] Another subspecies, the San José brush rabbit, is considered critically endangered.

Myxomatosis

Brush rabbits are a natural carrier of the myxoma virus, a poxvirus in the genus Leporipoxvirus. This virus causes only a mild disease in brush rabbits, but causes a severe and usually fatal disease called myxomatosis in European (pet) rabbits. The disease is usually transmitted from one rabbit to another by biting insects.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Hoffman, R.S.; Smith, A.T. (2005). "Order Lagomorpha". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 208. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ Kelly, P.A.; Lorenzo, C.; Alvarez-Castaneda, S.T. (2019). "Sylvilagus bachmani". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T41302A45192710. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T41302A45192710.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  3. ^ Marshall, I. D.; Regnery, David C. (1960). "Myxomatosis in a Californian Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani)". Nature. 188 (4744): 73–74. Bibcode:1960Natur.188...73M. doi:10.1038/188073b0. PMID 13767210. S2CID 4264949.
  4. ^ a b c d e Kays, Roland (2009). Mammals of North America (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0691140926.
  5. ^ a b Chapman, Joseph (1990). Rabbits, hares, and pikas : status survey and conservation action plan. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. p. 99. ISBN 2-8317-0019-1.
  6. ^ "Riparian brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani riparius)". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  7. ^ Sommer, Lauren (May 4, 2023). "The latest to be evacuated from California's floods? Bunnies". NPR News.
  8. ^ "Sylvilagus bachmani riparius". NatureServe Explorer. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  9. ^ Meredith, Anna (2013). "Viral skin diseases of the rabbit". Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice. 16 (3): 705–714. doi:10.1016/j.cvex.2013.05.010. PMID 24018033.
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Brush rabbit: Brief Summary

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The brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani), or western brush rabbit, or Californian brush rabbit, is a species of cottontail rabbit found in western coastal regions of North America, from the Columbia River in Oregon to the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. Its range extends as far east as the eastern sides of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges.

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