As both raccoons and rabbits are fairly common backyard visitors across many regions, the question of whether these masked mammals prey on our long-eared lagomorphs is one that comes up with some regularity. The short answer is yes, raccoons will absolutely eat rabbits given the chance. However, there are some important nuances to understand about this predator-prey relationship.

An Opportunistic Omnivore’s Diet

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are members of the procyonid family, which also includes coatis, ringtails, and other small omnivorous mammals. While their diets can vary based on what foods are available in their habitat, raccoons are true omnivores and consume a wide variety of plant and animal matter.

Some of a raccoon’s preferred foods include fruits, nuts, insects, rodents, eggs, and even fallen bird nestlings. Their dexterous front paws and unusually high intelligence for their size allow them to forage skillfully and access many different food sources that other mammals cannot. This opportunistic eating habit is why raccoons have adapted so well to urban and suburban environments, where human gardens, trash cans, and pet food bowls offer an endless buffet.

So while rabbits are certainly on the menu for these bandit-faced marauders, they are just one of many prey items that raccoons will hunt when available. Rabbits don’t make up a large portion of most raccoons’ diets except in areas where the rabbit population is very high.

Stalking Cottontails at Night

As nocturnal foragers, raccoons most commonly hunt rabbit species like the Eastern Cottontail that are also active at night. Napping cottontails that remain motionless make easy pickings for a stealthy raccoon on the prowl. A large boar raccoon can weigh up to 30 lbs, giving it a significant size advantage over a 2-3 lb rabbit.

Raccoons stake out rabbit hides and nesting areas, using their sensitive hearing to detect any sounds of movement. Their curved keratin claws and powerful forelimbs allow them to rapidly dig down into burrows to seize any occupants. Rabbits that venture out to forage are especially vulnerable, as a raccoon can use its speed and agility to chase them down over short distances.

However, a healthy adult rabbit does have a fighting chance against a raccoon if it can’t immediately escape. Raccoons prefer easier prey and may not pursue a fleeing rabbit for very long. The rabbit’s powerful hind legs can also inflict serious kicks to fend off an attacker, though it would fare poorly in extended close combat against a raccoon’s sharp teeth and claws.

Kits and Babies in the Crosshairs

It’s no surprise that very young rabbits make especially tempting meals for raccoons. A nest full of hairless, undefended kits, blind and immobile, is an irresistible target for these furbearers. Mother rabbits will ferociously defend their litters against raccoons when possible, resorting to vicious attacks with their sharp incisor teeth. However, a female cottontail is still heavily overmatched against a ravenous raccoon intruder.

Since rabbits can’t effectively hide the location of their ground nests, raccoons often follow their noses to discover these caches, picking off kits one by one. This can devastate entire generations of annual rabbit reproduction in an area where raccoons are plentiful. Homeowners sometimes inadvertently attract raccoons to their yards by leaving out pet food bowls, compost piles, or other calorie sources near to where cottontails may nest.

In general, any sickly or injured rabbit also becomes easy pickings for predators like raccoons that may otherwise avoid tangling with a healthy, powerful rabbit. Rabbits stressed by loud noises, dogs, bright lights, or other threats are less likely to successfully evade these nighttime hunters.

Managing Raccoon-Rabbit Conflicts

Though raccoons are formidable hunters, they remain fairly Low on the carnivore threat scale compared to species like foxes, coyotes, hawks and owls. Their omnivorous habits mean that rabbit populations can still thrive even with a substantial local raccoon density. However, there are some best practices for reducing raccoon predation on rabbits in certain scenarios.

For homeowners hoping to protect domestic or wild rabbit populations on their property, the key is limiting raccoon access to nesting areas and removing potential denning sites or unnaturally abundant food sources that attract high raccoon numbers. Clearing brush piles, elevating compost bins, not leaving pet food bowls out overnight, and fencing off garden spaces can all help mitigate conflicts.

In rural areas with significant commercial rabbit rearing operations, exclusion fencing and secure closing of rabbitries at night is absolutely critical to defending against raccoon intrusions and losses. Motion sensor lights and noise deterrent systems can also help discourage raccoons from remaining in the vicinity.

So in summary, while rabbits definitely get snatched up as part of the typical raccoon’s varied diet, these small forest-dwellers have enough speed, power, and smarts to avoid becoming regular entree items for their masked nemeses. Controlling raccoon numbers through lawful removal and deterrent practices remains advisable for protecting sensitive rabbitries and vulnerable litters. But in general, these two species have co-existed across their ranges for eons in a perpetual cat-and-mouse dance between predator and prey.