Part 11

General description: A short, chunky, apparently tailless rabbit-like animal, ears rounded and of good size; legs short and hind legs very little longer than forelegs. Color of upperparts grayish to buffy, underparts whitish varying to cinnamon-buff. Sexes alike in color and size; about 7½ inches long, height to shoulder 3½ inches and weight 4 to 7 ounces.

Where found: Distributed throughout much of the park at elevations above 7,000 feet wherever rock slides and talus slopes are available. Most likely seen around the Golden Gate, Sheepeater Cliffs, cliffs south and west of the Upper Geyser Basin, rockslides along the Dunraven Pass road and other such places. Look for the hay piles as indications. Active during the daytime.

BLACK HILLS COTTONTAIL Sylvilagus nuttalli grangeri

This shy and timid little rabbit leads a precarious existence in the sagebrush-covered valleys of the lower portions of the park. Its numerous enemies, especially the coyotes, foxes, bobcats, hawks and owls keep the cottontail constantly on the alert and seldom far from dense thickets or sheltering rocks. Its short legs are not a match for the speedy coyote and so artful dodging and hiding tactics must be resorted to.

The mother cottontail makes a nest, lined with her own fur, in a sheltered place where the young, born blind, naked and helpless, are placed. They grow rapidly and are soon able to run about and play, then it isn’t long until they are out on their own. There are usually several litters born each year; this helps keep up their numbers in spite of the inroads made by the various enemies.

General description: A small rabbit with short ears and legs. Upperparts of creamy-buff color lightly grizzled with gray. Tail short and fluffy, gray on top and white on underside. Total length 15 to 16 inches.

Where found: Most likely to be seen near Mammoth and in sagebrush flats along the Gardner River. Mainly found in the transition zone and lower. Most frequently out in the early morning, evening or during the night.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SNOWSHOE RABBIT Lepus americanus bairdi

The Varying Hare or Snowshoe Rabbit is found throughout the higher parts of the mountains, fairly common but not abundant in numbers. Provided by nature with special adaptations, this rabbit is not bothered greatly by the winter storms and snow. Very large furry hind feet act as snowshoes enabling these rabbits to scamper readily over the snow without sinking in and thus are the basis for its common name.

Nature also provides these hares with a camouflage to help protect them from their enemies. Their summer coat of fur is dull brown in color which blends well with the forest floor, while in the winter they get a new coat of pure white, except for black ear tips, making them hardly distinguishable from the snow drifts over which they run. This varying color with the seasons is the source for the other name by which it is known.

These rabbits, like other members of the family, depend upon the foliage of plants and shrubbery as their principal food; however, when this is buried beneath the winter’s snow their diet is frequently mainly composed of the bark of bushes and small trees.

The snowshoe rabbit makes a nest in a sheltered place, where the young, usually three or four in number, are born. These young, unlike the cottontail, have their eyes open and are covered with a coat of very fine close hair. They leave the nest in about ten days. In some places there may be more than one litter in a year.

General description: Larger than a cottontail with long ears and hind legs. Color of upperparts (summer) buffy grayish brown to rusty brown, underparts and bottoms of feet white; (winter) white, with black-bordered tips of the ears and underparts pale salmon. Total length about 18½ inches.

Where found: Likely to be seen almost anywhere in the wooded sections of the park and near the camp and cabin areas. Especially during the early morning and evening. They are generally rather tame.

WHITETAIL JACKRABBIT Lepus townsendi campanius

This big Prairie Hare is readily distinguishable from the other jackrabbits by its all white tail. It may also be found at higher elevations than the other species of jacks. Normally frequenting the open country it has been seen in alpine meadows above timberline at 10,000 feet elevations. This species is the largest of the jackrabbits.

All of the jackrabbits are known for their speed as they go bounding over the prairie, covering twelve to fifteen feet at a jump. The whitetail is the fastest and best jumper of the lot. When in high-gear speed he is a match for all but the fleetest of greyhounds.

The whitetail jackrabbit makes little if any nest for the young, but like other rabbits, does have several forms scattered about his home range. The form is simply a place just large enough to accommodate his body, padded down and hollowed in a clump of grass, weeds or bushes. Each individual has several of these forms and when not out feeding or playing may usually be found crouched down in one or the other of them. The young are fully furred and have their eyes open when born. They are active but stay hidden close by one spot for the first two or three weeks. There are usually about four to the litter and there probably is more than one litter each year, at least in the warmer sections of their range.

The representatives of this species that live in the northern, colder parts of the country change into a winter coat of white fur each fall and like the snowshoe rabbit are protectively colored when out in the snow. Their large feet also aid them in traveling over the snowdrifts.

General description: A large, heavy bodied rabbit with large ears, long legs, and a good sized fluffy tail that is all white throughout the year. The color above is fairly uniform buffy gray, underparts white. Its winter coat is much the same as the summer, though paler in tone, except in the northern parts of the range, which includes Yellowstone, where it becomes pure white with black tipped ears and irregular buffy patches about the face. Total length 24 inches.

Where found: Open sections in the northern parts of the park. Has been seen on the highest slopes of Mount Washburn. Most frequently seen in the early morning and evening. Not numerous.

ADDITIONAL ANIMALS

The following animals are also found in the park area:

Bangs Flying Squirrel: Glaucomys sabrinus bangsi. A medium-sized squirrel, total length about 12.5 inches. Upperparts dark grayish cinnamon; underparts pinkish cinnamon.

These squirrels are strictly nocturnal and for this reason it is difficult to tell how common they really are. Found only in the forested areas they nest in woodpecker holes or in hollows in the trees or possibly build a nest among branches or utilize old pine squirrel nests when hollows are not available.

Probably common throughout most of the forests of the park.

Mountain Weasel: Mustela frenata arizonensis. A medium-sized weasel about 14 to 15.4 inches long. Upperparts raw umber-brown, darker on the head; underparts yellow to orange with a white chin. In winter the animal is all white with a black tip on the tail.

Frequenting the more open ground in the park they live primarily on rodents. In the winter they hunt beneath the snow. I have seen them stick their heads up through the snow, look around and quickly dive beneath again.