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Sylvilagus bachmani

(Waterhouse, 1839)

Brush Rabbit

GNRUnranked Found in 20 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
GNRUnrankedGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1342003
Element CodeAMAEB01120
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderLagomorpha
FamilyLeporidae
GenusSylvilagus
Concept Reference
Álvarez-Castañeda, S. T., and C. Lorenzo. 2016. Genetic evidence supports Sylvilagus mansuetus (Lagomorpha: Leporidae) as a subspecies of S. bachmani. Zootaxa 4196(2):289-295.
Taxonomic Comments
Now includes Sylvilagus mansuetus following Álvarez-Castañeda and Lorenzo (2016).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Dense scrub and brushy edges of habitats, chaparral, and cactus. Also brushy areas on sand dunes and in bramble thickets. Usually near dense vegetative cover. Seldom uses burrows. May use forms connected by runways. Female constructs nest for young; nest measures about 75 by 150 mm, lined with fur and dried grass.

Ecology

Predators include bobcats, coyotes, minks, weasels, skunks, and great horned owls.

Reproduction

Breeding season lasts approximately 7 months (from December-May or June in California; February-August in Oregon (Chapman 1974). May produce 3 or 4 litters of 1-6 (usually 3) young/litter. Gestation lasts about 27 days.
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparral
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS5Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Roadless Areas (20)
California (16)
AreaForestAcres
Black ButteLos Padres National Forest5,116
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
CalienteCleveland National Forest5,953
CamuesaLos Padres National Forest8,209
CypressLassen National Forest3,380
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Malduce BuckhornLos Padres National Forest14,177
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
MosesSequoia National Forest22,077
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
Orleans Mtn. CSix Rivers National Forest15,589
Pilot CreekSix Rivers National Forest9,192
RinconSequoia National Forest54,610
Santa CruzLos Padres National Forest21,182
Sill HillCleveland National Forest5,294
TequepisLos Padres National Forest9,080
Oregon (4)
AreaForestAcres
Hebo 1aSiuslaw National Forest13,930
TahkenitchSiuslaw National Forest5,799
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
References (9)
  1. Álvarez-Castañeda, S. T., and C. Lorenzo. 2016. Genetic evidence supports Sylvilagus mansuetus (Lagomorpha: Leporidae) as a subspecies of S. bachmani. Zootaxa 4196(2):289-295.
  2. American Society of Mammalogists (ASM). 2025. Mammal Diversity Database (Version 1.13) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10595931. Online. Available: https://www.mammaldiversity.org/
  3. Chapman, J.A. 1974. <i>Sylvilagus bachmani</i>. Mammalian species, 34:1-4.
  4. Ingles, L. G. 1965. Mammals of the Pacific States. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California.
  5. Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23.
  6. Maser, C., B. R. Mate, J. F. Franklin, and C. T. Dyrness. 1981. Natural history of Oregon coast mammals. Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Expt. Sta., USDA, Forest Service, Gen Tech. Rep. PNW-133:1-496.
  7. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1997. Proposed endangered status for the riparian brush rabbit and riparian woodrat. Federal Register 62(225):62276-62282.
  8. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2000. Final rule to list the riparian brush rabbit and the riparian, or San Joaquin Valley, woodrat as endangered. Federal Register 65(36):8881-8890.
  9. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.