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A reintroduced pygmy rabbit has
given birth on the INEEL, Washington State University
announced June 5.
This captive-reared rabbit is
one of 20 rabbits bred at the Washington State University and
released on the INEEL last fall. This experimental release is
part of a project designed to help preserve Washington State’s
last remaining population of the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit.
Results from the Idaho reintroductions are intended to help
improve the success of reintroductions for the endangered
Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit, scheduled to begin in the summer
of 2004 in eastern Washington.
“Perhaps a ray of hope appears
in pygmy rabbit restoration,” said Dr. Rod Sayler of
Washington State University. “Despite the low annual survival
rate, it's pretty amazing that a release of only 20
captive-bred animals resulted in successful breeding the
following spring.”
Weighing less than a pound, the
pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) is the smallest North
American rabbit species. Pygmy rabbits may be found in
sagebrush areas of southern Idaho, Washington, eastern Oregon,
northeastern California, Nevada, and Wyoming.
Pygmy rabbits are sagebrush obligates, meaning they require
sagebrush habitat to survive. They are dependent upon
sagebrush for food, which comprises 98% of their winter diet
and a good portion of their spring and summer diet.
Pygmy rabbit numbers have
drastically declined in the past decade. This decline is primarily due to
habitat loss and fragmentation through development and
agricultural conversion. Pygmy rabbits have been listed by the
Federal government as a species of concern and are a candidate
for threatened and endangered species listing under the
Endangered Species Act. In Idaho they are listed as a species
of concern.
A subspecies of pygmy rabbit,
the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit, is near extinction. The
Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit is found only in eastern
Washington. Probably less than 50 rabbits of this subspecies
remain. Though genetically related to our native Idaho
species, genetic studies by the Washington Department of Fish
and Wildlife suggest that these rabbits have been isolated
from Idaho and Oregon populations for as long as 7,000-10,000
years or more. Because of this, translocating rabbits from
neighboring states isn't a good first option to boost
Washington populations.
To preserve the Washington's
last remaining population of the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit,
rabbits were captured from eastern Washington and a captive
breeding program was initiated to raise and eventually release
Washington pygmy rabbits back into several protected areas in
eastern Washington.
Before scientists launched the captive breeding effort in
Washington, they captured and bred more common Idaho pygmy
rabbits so they could study and perfect rearing techniques.
Under the direction of Drs. Rod Sayler and Lisa Shipley at WSU,
this test population of Idaho pygmy rabbits was reintroduced
to the INEEL last fall.
Twenty rabbits were released on the INEEL wearing lightweight
radio collars. Plastic burrow systems were provided to each of
the rabbits to provide protection from digging coyotes,
badgers and other predators, as well as shelter from the harsh
INEEL environment.
Three of the released rabbits are still alive and are being
successfully monitored at the release site.
“We've learned a lot from last year's release at the INEEL and
will be modifying a few techniques and expanding data
collection on reintroduced Idaho pygmy rabbits this summer,”
said Sayler. “Our next step is to get some more endangered
Washington pygmy rabbits produced now so we can get going on a
successful reintroduction project in Washington.”
WSU graduate student Rob Westra
and Stoller wildlife biologist Sue Vilord will continue to
track the animals using the signals from the animals' radio
collars, obtain precise GPS locations, and observe them and
their habitat use directly. Additional releases of pygmy
rabbits on the INEEL will be continued throughout this year. The
outcome of this research should provide valuable information
to assist in the successful reintroduction of Columbia Basin
pygmy rabbits and elsewhere if needed.
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Two Shelley High School eleventh-grade English classes taught
by Sue Holt were asked to summarize the 2000 and 2001 INEEL
Annual Site Environmental Reports. The students were asked to
condense each of the 168-page ASER reports into a 16-page
document that the general public could understand. This
required the students to do a lot of research about the INEEL,
the INEEL monitoring programs and radioactivity. ESER
scientists were available for questions, edits and a tour of
the INEEL.