Whenever I hear the word “rabbit”, a cute, soft and furry little creature hops in my imagination. I guess the same happens to you guys. As the creature is little in size and we all know they are so soft. So, there are many animals that hunt rabbits.
This article is about those animals which hurt and hunt rabbits.
Wait! Whoa… if you are thinking that “Oh, I have rabbits as pets, why should I read this article now?” But I am telling you this article must help you because there are chances of hunting your rabbits when you set them to graze around your yard or garden or wherever. So you need to know what animal hunts rabbits.
so, The Question is….. What animal hunts rabbits?
Actually, almost all types of flesh eater animals are the hunters of rabbits. Generally, they are bigger and stronger than rabbits. Fox, wolf, cat, coyote, wolverine, raccoon, weasel, bear, eagle, owl, hawk, crow, and snake and lizard ― are the animals that hunt rabbits.
Let’s know-how and when they hunt rabbits.
List of Animals that Hunt Rabbit
01# Fox
Foxes are much known to us. They have adapted the Forrest and urban places from very ago. Foxes can be seen on the mountains too and sometimes on the open field. They seem like scared animals but they are dangerous for rabbits. Rabbits are one of their main sources of food.
The rabbits are not the animals that the foxes would like to hunt if they find enough foods easily. Still, rabbits are the staple food for them. Their paws are sharp and they can dig holes like rabbits. So, rabbits can’t escape them easily while they hunt them.
02# Wolves
Wolves are stronger and more ferocious than foxes. They take 25-30 pounds a day as a meal. Though small animals like rabbits are not the only thing they want as the food they can take rabbits as the supplement of primary foods instead.
03# Cats
Cats are those animals that can be seen everywhere. They are fast, sharp and can be more ferocious than our imagination. Though not all types of cats are the predators of rabbits. It depends on size and strength.
If your rabbits are bigger in size such as giant angora, then you can be sure that any cat will never come to its closure. Cats like to hunt baby rabbits which we call bunnies.
But maybe cats don’t like rabbits as food but they hunt rabbits for a snack. Rabbits are almost the same fast as cats. So, cats do not like to hunt rabbits if their other food is available.
04# Coyotes
You may feel surprised for seeing this name. Because coyote is actually a solitary animal. But when there is any hunt, they can create a team as soon as possible.
They can be seen almost everywhere. Even in deserts! They like to hunt small mammals. Rabbit is one of them and coyote loves to eat their soft flesh.
05# Wolverine
The animals look like small bears are wolverines. They are much ferocious and stronger. They like to hunt small animals like rabbits as food. But because of the larger body, they are not as fast as rabbits. So, while hunting they fail to catch the rabbits.
During the winter season, they try to find rabbit holes to find foods as rabbits.
06# Raccoon
Raccons are found in almost every corner of the world. They are both herbivorous and omnivorous together. So, this animal hunts rabbits. They prefer soft animals and the rabbit is soft no doubt. But they try to find slow moving animals. So, the rabbit is not on its first priority list.
07# Bears
Bears have a large portion of the diet. They almost take everything for their diet. From ants to humans! Sometimes they love to eat green leaves too! So, rabbits are also in their diet chart.
Polar bears don’t eat rabbits and rabbits are also rare in arctic areas. But grizzly bears are fond of the flesh of small rabbits. Bears take vegetables only when they can’t find any meat to eat up.
08# Eagles
There are many types of eagles we can see around. Among them, Golden eagles and Bald eagles are the predators of rabbits. They have a large hunting radius and they take rabbits as food. Sometimes not only one rabbit is enough for an eagle to face its hunger.
They fly around from noon to dawn. But this is the time rabbits don’t graze in the open places. So, it’s difficult to eagles to hunt rabbits at that time.
09# Owls
Owls are the predators that rabbits can’t escape them easily. Owls are nocturnal and really patient animals. They can wait for quite a long time to watch their prey and find the exact moment to kill.
They are different in size and their diet differs too. But almost all of the large owls try to find rabbits as prey and food.
10# Hawks
Hawks are like eagles. Their hunting radius is also wide. Red-tailed hawks are the predators of rabbits. They are different in gender, size, and age. But almost all of them hunt rabbits for the meal.
They prefer small mammals for food such as rabbits, mice, squirrels and etc.
11# Snake
Snakes are those animals that try to eat anything that moves before them! Sounds funny but dangerous to the rabbits as they hunt rabbits whenever any chances come.
The smallest thread snake to anaconda, they almost take everything as food. Though it depends on their size obviously if the snake is small and a bigger rabbit appears before it, the snake would surely kill the rabbit with its poison because the snake is also a prey animal.
So, either for eating or for saving ownself any snake can hunt rabbits.
12# Crows
Crows are not considered as the eaters of the rabbits. But they are the more likely enemy to the small mammals. Like mice, squirrel, smalls lizards they also hunt baby rabbits. Not for always food of course but it has become their habit to hunt these types of small animals.
13# Lizards
Lizards are those reptiles that hunt small and soft animals for food. Rabbits can be their main source of food. As they are good at digging holes, they can find rabbits under the ground.
Most of the time baby rabbits are killed by lizards. Rabbits can save themselves by running only as the lizards are not as fast as rabbits.
Things to Consider
These are the animals that hunt rabbits. This whole universe is a mystery. So, there are many chances that the rabbits can get killed by other animals too. If you are having rabbits as pets, then be sure that these animals are far from your rabbits.
Conclusion
We can not blame any animal for hunting. Because this is our echo system. Every animal depends on other animals. So, hunting or killing is a very normal habit to live on. This article is for your rabbit’s safety while they are your pet.