The swamp rabbit is a large cottontail rabbit found in the swamps and wetlands of the Southern United States, and it is among the largest members of the genus. It is usually brown, with the bottom of its stubby tail colored white. The adult rabbit weighs between 3 and 6 pounds for both male and female.
The swamp rabbit eats reeds, plants, and grasses native to its marshy habitat. They tend to nest above ground in small dens made of dead plants and lined with shed fur. The swamp rabbit is a skilled swimmer, often crossing streams, ponds and rivers. This cottontail will sometimes hide from natural enemies by sitting still in shallow water, exposing only its nose for air to breathe. The swamp rabbit can run over 45 mph when fleeing a predator, usually in an evasive zig-zag pattern.
The swamp rabbit has been known to terrorize Jimmy Carter, at least on one occasion. In the spring of 1979, Carter was fishing on a small pond on his farm, enjoying the solitude of nature. At. some point, a visibly agitated swamp rabbit approached Carter’s boat and tried to climb on board. Carter then tried to dissuade the rabbit from boarding his boat by splashing water with his paddle. The swamp rabbit was dubbed the “Killer Rabbit” by the tittering press, in honor of the mortally violent white rabbit in the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”.
