I don't get rabbits. They are prey animals, so no need for sophisticated mental development and social cooperation.

The dwarf rabbit my daughter owned for a while, had to be handled carefully or it would slash you with its hind claws, and didn't act at all affectionate or intelligent.

But I found out differently last month when a black-tailed jackrabbit hid behind me to escape the coyote pack I was with.

The coyotes consider me a dominant pack member so taking my prey isn't allowed, and they let the jackrabbit go. After waiting politely for a while for me to make the kill, they gave up and moved on.

To my shock, the jackrabbit actually honored its obligation to its human savior, following some previously unsuspected rabbit protocol.

Up to that time, all the black-tailed jackrabbits, and this one in particular, refused to let me take photos of them.
This rabbit had been the worst of the bunch in running away from me like crazy.

But NOW, the jackrabbit not only posed for me, it would come out of hiding, walk in front of me, pose in the sunlight, and turn this way, and that-while I snapped pics like a photographer at a supermodel photo shoot.

The jackrabbit would leap into the air in fright when I first appeared, even start to bound away, but suddenly recognize me and freeze in mid leap, fall back to earth, then bravely hold still for me to take photos.

Not only that rabbit, but its (presumed) mate, and several other rabbits in the area..relatives, I suppose, did the same. So when I walked through that end of the desert strip, I had about four black-tailed jackrabbits posing for me, even running around to get in front of me on the trail, to let me take a good photo.

I soon had far more jackrabbit photos than I wanted, but I didn't want to hurt their feelings as they bravely posed for me, so I took the photos anyway,

Meanwhile, at the other end of the desert valley, the rest of the rabbits hadn't gotten the memo, so they continued to run from me in apparent terror.

But as I continue to hike the strip, following the coyotes, their jackrabbit prey continue to use me as a predator shield, when hunted.

Probably the jackrabbit that posed for me today on the other end of the valley, was the one that used me to escape the coyotes yesterday.

A month ago, the juvenile male Cooper's hawk chased a white-winged dove straight toward me, and the dove escaped by circling my head until the Cooper's hawk gave up and flew away.

But the white-winged dove never gave me my reward by posing for photos, so one day I was grumbling about doves not having any honor, when I looked up, and noticed a white-winged dove walking along the top of the wall next to me.

It stopped and posed while I took all the photos I wanted of this usually VERY spooky bird species.
I take it back..even white-winged doves have honor codes.

Photo: black-tailed jackrabbit bravely posing for me to take photos, to reward me for saving its life.