Jimmy Carter rabbit incident
The Jimmy Carter rabbit incident, sensationalized as the "killer rabbit attack" by the press, involved a swamp rabbit that swam toward U.S. president Jimmy Carter's fishing boat on April 20, 1979. The incident caught the imagination of the media after Associated Press White House correspondent Brooks Jackson learned of the story months later.
April 20, 1979, White House photo of Carter and rabbit from the Carter Library
Close up of rabbit cropped from White House photo
The swamp rabbit, also called the cane-cutter, is a large cottontail rabbit found in the swamps and wetlands of the southern United States. The species has a strong preference for wet areas, and it will take to the water and swim.
Swamp rabbit
Juvenile swamp rabbit