Here, daytime temperatures can climb to dangerous levels. Some wild rabbits live in very hot climates. Predators aren’t the only reasons that an animal might evolve to be crepuscular. This gives them a window of time where they can find food and be active without having to worry about some of their many predators. A wild rabbit’s crepuscular nature lets them be active during the time with both of their main predators can’t see as well. On the other hand, hawks hunt during the day and can’t see well at dusk, dawn or at night. Owls, for instance, hunt mainly at night and can’t see well at dusk, dawn or in the daytime. This gives them a distinct advantage over certain types of predators.

Over time wild rabbits evolved to be crepuscular. Other predatory animals also have a taste for bunnies. What kind of animals would want to eat an adorable wild rabbit? Plenty: a wild rabbit’s two main predators are hawks and owls. Wild rabbits have perfected hiding from their many predators. They don’t have claws or fangs, and can’t defend themselves against other animals that want to eat them. If we want to know why wild rabbits are crepuscular, we need to look at how their life works out in the wild! How Being Crepuscular Helps Wild Rabbitsĭomesticated rabbits have it easy: good food, clean water, and friendly people to pet them. But living with humans in safe, climate-controlled houses, has taken them far from their wild origins. Sure, pet rabbits sometimes get a little more active in the mornings and evenings. Our fluffy pets have become familiar with human schedules and don’t always get super active at dawn and dusk. It can sometimes be hard to see this in our domesticated rabbits. All of these animals are mainly active when the sun is either rising or setting. When people see this, they sometimes think that wild rabbits are up all night when that isn’t what’s happening at all! It’s isn’t just rabbits, lots of different animals live the same way: mice, squirrels, skunks, and foxes, to name a few. This big word means they are active in the early morning and evening hours. Rabbits, both wild and domesticated, are naturally crepuscular.

But surprisingly, wild rabbits aren’t actually nocturnal at all! The Amazing Crepuscular Rabbit! How Being Crepuscular Helps Wild Rabbitsīecause wild rabbits are mostly seen in the early evening and morning hours, many people believe they are nocturnal.

Are bunnies nocturnal