The small mammals that race around our neighbourhoods and bound throughout the zoo are members of a group of animals called lagomorphs. Contrary to popular belief rabbits are not rodents. Although lagomorphs and rodents are similar, there are some major differences such as their teeth (Lagomorphs have four incisors, rodents have only two), which in turn affects the differences in diet. Lagomorphs are almost completely herbivores, whereas most rodents eat some meat as well as plants. In turn, this affects their digestive systems.
A gross but interesting fact about rabbits… They eat their own droppings to get enough nutrients from their food. Rabbits eat large amounts of plants and the cellulose in plants is hard to digest. They pass two kinds of droppings: the hard, round pellets that we often see littering our gardens, and a soft, black pellet that is usually immediately eaten. (Eww… though it would cut down on the grocery bill…) Bacteria in their digestive tract break down the cellulose, making it possible for the rabbit to digest the resulting compounds.
Another interesting fact… Rabbits often sleep with their eyes open so that sudden movements will quickly awaken them.
Male rabbits are called bucks and female rabbits are called does. Young rabbits are known as kits or kittens and a group of rabbits born at one time is known as a litter. A group of domestic rabbits living together is sometimes called a herd. (That makes me laugh… “Yikes! Here comes a herd of rabbits!”)
Zoo Note: An interesting fact about North American cottontails is that unlike the European rabbit, they do not burrow and make warrens (dens) beneath the ground. They tend to shelter in bushes and shrubs. Look for rabbits in the forested area around our Asiatic section of the zoo.