I don’t see rabbits very often during my visits to various wildlife parks. Perhaps the numerous hawks and eagles in the area keep the rabbit population under control, or at least make the rabbits especially cautious and stealthy. I was happy therefore when I spotted this Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) during a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and thrilled when he posed momentarily for me.
This rabbit looks to be an adult, but somehow all rabbits are “bunnies” to me. I suspect that is because I had a rabbit as a pet for several years and got used to playing with him every day. I would let Prime Rib (yes, that really was his name) out of his cage and he would happily run around me as I sat on the living room floor, periodically bounding over my outstretched legs.
It was a sad moment for me when Prime Rib died and I can’t help but think of him every time that I see one of his cousins in the wild.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Sweet shot, Mike. HI just have to ask–however did you settle on that name?
He was already named Prime Rib when I inherited him from a friend who was staying with me for a while. She moved out to an apartment that did not permit pets.As an aside, her previous rabbit was named Pork Chop–there seems to have been a theme going there. 🙂
One is tempted to speculate how she might have named a pet pig or calf…
🙂 I may have to ask her that question.
Benjamin will be delighted to discover that you have a fondness for bunnies too! We have several Cottontails that visit my backyard on a daily basis, they love the clover. Over the years I had believed they were the New England Cottontail as they are native here, while the Eastern variety was an introduced one. A few years ago I had read that the New England Cottontails were rapidly declining due to habitat loss, while the others were flourishing. There has been quite a bit of time and money put into increasing our native bunny population, with modest success to date. My eldest daughter had a Holland Lop Ear Bunny as a pet when she was 10 years old. “Rabbit”, named for her favorite Winnie the Pooh character, was easily litter box trained and a delight to have hopping about the house…except he loved to chew on electric cords, none could be left lying on the floor! I will save this for Benjamin! Thank-you, Mr. Mike!!
AHHH. so cute 😍
I also think of them as bunnies – perhaps because I too had them as childhood pets – and I love to see them hopping around in my backyard. The red-tailed hawk that visits my yard swooped down and made off with a small bunny the other day as I was looking out of the window.
Yikes. That seems to justify my fears about the bunnies at my favorite wildlife refuge. Still, I guess hawks have to eat too.
That’s what I tell myself too. I’d just rather not see it. I’ve seen the hawk take squirrels too.
LOL at your pet bunny’s name, but they are so cute. I have always said bunnies as well and I love that we get pretty many in our yard in the spring and summer. Cute pic!
We have a couple in our yard, Mike, and they are always bunnies. Great photo.