More than 80% of their habitat has disappeared over the last 50 years due not to urban sprawl but to neglected and abandoned farmlands that have returned to woodlands. The dominant species in the N.E. is currently the Eastern Cottontail who has larger eyes helping to protect it from predators. No doubt in Maine the return of coyotes has diminished our New England Cottontails. I wish the darn things would pick on the turkeys instead!
One Conn. landowner is helping restore his former dairy farmland creating ground vegetation suitable for cottontail habitats and has renamed his place Cottontail Farm. So all in all maybe things are looking up for Peter Cottontail.
As a Director of Conservation is quoted in the article, "The old adage, 'they breed like rabbits', doesn't always apply".