Tres Marias Cottontail

Imagine a fluffy, medium-sized rabbit that loves to hide! That's the Tres Marias cottontail. It's the only kind of rabbit living on the Islas Marías, a group of islands off the coast of Mexico.

These rabbits are pretty chill and not too scared of people. They like to hang out in dry, tropical forests where there are lots of bushes to snuggle under for naps. They are super important because they are the only rabbits there!

The Tres Marias cottontail calls the Islas Marías home. These islands are like a tropical paradise! The rabbits prefer places that are a little dry and have plenty of leafy bushes. They spend most of their day resting in these cozy spots, staying hidden from anything that might surprise them. It’s like they have their own secret hideouts all over the islands!

These little bunnies don't have many enemies on their island home. The main ones are birds of prey that might swoop down from the sky and a special raccoon called the Tres Marias raccoon. But the biggest problem for the cottontails is when humans build things or when other animals, like deer and goats that don't belong there, eat all the yummy plants.

This makes it harder for the rabbits to find food and safe places to live.

Sadly, the Tres Marias cottontail is in trouble. The Mexican government and a big group called the International Union for Conservation of Nature say they are endangered. This means there aren't many of them left.

Their homes are shrinking because of people building things, and other animals are eating their food. It’s super important to protect these unique rabbits so they can keep hopping on their islands for a long, long time!