Cottontails and Kin

As a child, some of my favorite storybook characters were Rabbits - Peter Cottontail, Uncle Wiggly, and most of all, Br'er Rabbit. After all, who can resist an animal with soft fur, bright eyes, and cute little ears? The Cottontail is perhaps the most prominent character in American folklore, but bedtime stories hardly reflect the daily struggle for survival of real life Rabbits. In addition to a host of wild predators, Rabbits must also face human hunters. Yet, despite so many dangers, there's rarely a short supply of "COTTONTAILS AND KIN."