Hawk V Rabbit (Coyote at the end)
š½ by Erika Murtaugh (@am.erican.mum910 on IG)
This bun might still be alive if he didnāt stick out like a sore thumb. Interactions like this one are precisely why some species of rabbits and hares instinctively change their coats to match seasonal ground cover. When they can blend in with their surroundings, foraging rabbits might do so a little easier knowing that they have a better chance to escape the gaze of a sharp-eyed predator.
In the area around Denver Colorado (where this clip originated) there is only one species of rabbit that performs this type of periodic wardrobe change (White-tailed jackrabbit) and four others that do not. These are the desert cottontail, eastern cottontail, mountain cottontail, and the black-tailed jackrabbit.
The reason why only the White-tailed jackrabbit undergoes a seasonal coat color change is likely due to differences in their habitat and ecology. White-tailed jackrabbits are found in more arid regions where there is snow cover in the winter, so their coat color changes from brown to white in the winter to blend in with the snowy environment and avoid predators.
In contrast, the other species of rabbits are not adapted to such extreme seasonal changes in their environment and therefore a color change isnāt essential. These rabbits are better adapted to their specific habitat and ecology, such as brushy areas or forests, and may have other adaptations, such as burrowing behavior, that allow them to survive and thrive in their environment.
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