Cottontail Confidental: The Easter Bunny

On the Bunny Trail

April 5, 2026

As spring’s jester of joy and jellybeans, the Easter Bunny hippity-hops its way onto the scene this time every year. Rabbits are fascinating creatures. Here are ten facts about rabbits that separate fur real facts from fluffy fiction.

1. The Better to See You With

Rabbits’ eyes are located on the sides of their heads. This grants them the ability to see in all directions at once, including behind and above. This is also why it is very hard to sneak up on a rabbit! However, rabbits are actually farsighted: the only bunny blind spot is the area directly in front of the nose. Luckily, their strong sense of smell lets them know what is right in front of them!

2. Ears to You!

By swiveling their lengthy ears, rabbits can listen in any direction they choose. They can home in on any sounds they hear and know when danger is near long before being seen by predators.

3. The Neverending Nibbles

A rabbit’s teeth never stop growing. Like a human’s fingernails, they continue to grow throughout the animal’s life. A rabbit’s diet of plants and vegetables is tough on the teeth, but it keeps them from getting too long.

4. Hold the Carrots!

Contrary to Bugs Bunny beliefs, carrots are not a natural part of a rabbit’s diet. Rabbits have a sensitive digestive system, and too much sugar can upset the balance of bacteria in their guts, which can lead to health problems.

5. A League of Their Own

Rabbits may seem similar to squirrels, rats, and guinea pigs. They have similar breeding behaviors, chewing instincts, and other physical features. In fact, until the early 1900s, rabbits were classified as rodents. Due to significant differences in a rabbit’s teeth structure and digestion, they were reclassified in 1912 as lagomorphs.

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6. Jump for Joy

Rabbits perform an athletic leap, known as a binky, when they are so happy that they cannot contain their energy. This can include mid-air twists and kicks. They can jump up to almost three feet in a single leap!

7. The Sound of Rabbits

Rabbits are very quiet animals, but they do make sounds. When they are happy or excited, they make a little oinking sound. They growl or grunt if they are upset or trying to scare someone away. Generally, the loudest sound a rabbit makes is when they thump their strong hind legs against the ground.

8. A Legend Is Born

How did the bunny become a synonymous symbol of Easter? It stems from the ancient pagan festival of Eostre, the goddess of fertility and spring. Her symbol was the rabbit, who has a high reproduction rate. Rabbits are pros at baby-making: giving birth to up to 14 kits in a single litter! In the 1700s, German immigrants brought their tradition of an egg-laying hare to America. Legend has it that the rabbit would lay colorful eggs and give them to good children. In turn, the recipients would make nests in which the bunny could leave his eggs and often set out carrots for a post-delivery snack.  Eventually, the custom spread across the nation until it was a widespread Easter tradition. Over time, the bunny’s role expanded from a purveyor of eggs to the Willy Wonka of the wild, delivering chocolate and other candy.

9. What’s Up with the Eggs?

Since rabbits are mammals and give birth to live young, the rabbit’s association with eggs seems like a case of mistaken biology. (Although there are egg-laying mammals – the monotremes, such as the platypus and echidna.) The answer may lie in the combination of two springtime icons. Eggs, just like the rabbit, have long been considered an ancient symbol of fertility, rebirth and new life and are associated with the springtime celebration of Easter.

10. To Egg-finity and Beyond!

Although Japan has adopted the Easter Bunny, other countries rely on other members of the animal kingdom to deliver springtime fun. In Australia, the spring holiday is greeted by the Easter Bilby, an endangered native rabbit-like marsupial. Other gift-bearing animals include the Easter Cuckoo in Switzerland and the Easter Fox and the Easter Rooster in Germany. In Russia, however, it is a dog who provides the Easter eggs!

Want a chance to meet a lionhead rabbit? A variety of Zoo residents identified as Animal Ambassadors visit with guests during Zoo activities like education classes, Zoomobile outreaches, and Wild Encounters. You never know who you might meet, though it’s sure to be a wild time!