The New England cottontail was once so common that Massachusetts author Thornton Burgess adapted one named Peter for the children’s stories he penned a century ago.
But the critter that inspired “The Adventures of Peter Cottontail” and the Easter-season song “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” faces an uncertain future. Its natural habitat is disappearing, and without intervention, it could be unhappy trails for the once-bountiful bunny.
Conservationists are hoping that captive-breeding efforts and a new program to restore shrub lands across the Northeast will help ensure that the New England cottontail sticks around for many Easters to come.
“We’re making headway, putting habitat on the ground in some really key places,” said Anthony Tur, an endangered species specialist for the US Fish and Wildlife Service. “It’s encouraging.”