Abstract
The purpose of the study was to estimate seasonal home ranges of Sylvilagus obscurus (Appalachian cottontail) within dense ericaceous and coniferous cover at its type locality, the Dolly Sods Scenic Area in West Virginia. Ninety-five percent adaptive kernel (AK) home ranges of rabbits ranged from 5.7–13.3 ha during the leaf-on season (May–September; n = 5) and 1.5–9.0 ha during the leaf-off season (October–April; n = 14). Fifty-percent AK core areas ranged from 0.9–2.5 ha during the leaf-on season and 0.1–2.5 ha during the leaf-off season. Males occupied larger home ranges during the leaf-on than leaf-off season, but female ranges did not differ seasonally. These results demonstrate seasonal differences in spatial and associated resource requirements of Appalachian cottontails and the need for large tracts of appropriate habitat for travel lanes to maintain viable populations of this species.
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