BAY VILLAGE, Ohio - Bunnies are one of our most-recognized symbols of spring. The sight of floppy ears and cotton tails hopping through yards ushers in a season of new beginnings and warming temperatures.

At Lake Erie Nature & Science Center in Bay Village, it's no surprise that rabbits are a hit with families at the arrival of spring, and especially Easter.

But for the nonprofit at 28728 Wolf Road, rescuing and caring for native and domestic rabbits has been an integral part of its year-round mission since it was founded in 1945. The Center is the only wildlife rehab facility in Cuyahoga County open to the public.

"Kids love how soft the rabbits are," says Director of Wildlife Amy LeMonds, who has been at the Center since 2005. "They're very, very curious when they get to touch things. Bunnies are one of those things they can always get their hands on. And everyone has a favorite."

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center rabbit rescue and rehab 5 Gallery: Lake Erie Nature & Science Center rabbit rescue and rehab

Lake Erie Nature and Science Center began when neighborhood children brought injured animals to Dr. Elberta W. Fleming. Discovering that the animals could be used as an educational tool, she transformed her home into a museum. Bunnies filled the backyard, mourning doves were housed in her basement and, maybe most memorably, she kept turtles in her bathtub. The Center's earliest iteration was dubbed the "Bathtub Museum."

Today, the Center admits more than 1,400 animals a year to its rehab program. In 2017, they treated around 160 different species of rabbits.

"I imagine Bert Fleming got a lot of questions about rabbits because people find nests all the time," LeMonds says. "People wanting to help was the basis for how we were founded."

Rabbits are one of the most common animals brought to the Center. Sometimes it's a matter of someone just finding the bunnies in their garden. They're also brought in when they're injured by something like a lawnmower or dog or cat. If, after rehab, an animal isn't able to be released back into the wild, they become part of their education program.

"People find ill and injured wildlife and they want to help it," LeMonds says. "More often than not, if you don't know enough about them, you're going to cause harm. Every animal has different needs to be successful in the wild."

Often, people bring rabbits in because they think they're abandoned, not realizing they're actually just left alone for long periods of time by the mother.

"They nest in a little divot in the ground, and the mothers cover the bunnies with grass and fur," LeMonds says. "People will walk through their yards and see fur and think something happened to the mom, but really, they just pulled out stomach fur for the nest. Usually you won't see mom with the nest. Since I started, I've only seen a mother rabbit on a bunny nest once."

Wild rabbits and humans can co-exist, of course, and the Center always tries to teach people how to live with rabbits in their yard.

"Bunnies are born without a scent and the mom stays away, so we teach people that during the day, you can put a basket over them and keep them covered and then remove that at night," LeMonds says. "That way, you can do things like bring your dog out as long as it's covered."

The Center is also home to domestic rabbits, which tend to come from families who can't care for them anymore. This is unfortunately common around Easter, when families buy bunnies without considering how much work goes into them.

"They need special care," LeMonds notes. "Because of their teeth, they need to chew constantly and have fresh greens, so we give them leafy greens and fresh veggies and hay."

Just don't confuse a rabbit for a hare. In their outdoor animal area, the Center has a snowshoe hare they use to teach the difference. Stop in during spring and you'll see the snowshoe during one of its most stunning transformations. They're white in the winter and brown in the summer - and in between, they're a mix of both as their coat changes.

"The biggest difference between the two is that hares are actually born with their eyes open and able to eat on their own," LeMonds says. "They're a little reliant on their parents, but nowhere near cottontails. They also have bigger ears and bigger feet. They're still vegetarians, but eat heartier species of plant. We feed them a moose diet mixed with rabbit diet."

73 years after Dr. Elberta W. Fleming began housing rabbits in her "Bathtub Museum," bunnies remain an important piece of the Center's history and future. Through their rehab and education programs, the Center is teaching future generations about the care that goes into nurturing rabbits. And having a little fun along the way.

"Little kids just love to tell you stories," LeMonds says. "It's always great when they can share and connect through those stories. And everyone has a story about a special wild or pet rabbit."

Eggstravaganza

Kids will get to learn all about eggs and bunnies at the Center's spring program, Eggstravaganza. In addition to discovering all things seasonal, it also includes an egg hunt.

Friday, March 30

Ages 1-5 at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m. or 2:00 p.m.

Ages 5-8 at 3:00 p.m.