Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbits Now Extinct

My House Rabbit — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:39:26 +0000

Last year, I posted about the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s effort to reintroduce the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit back into their native habitat in Washington.

The program to breed the rabbits will most likely come to an end this year as there are no Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits left in the wild, and the last purebred rabbit died in captivity. According to Chris Warren, who runs the program, genetically speaking, Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits are now extinct.

In 2010, the US Fish and Wildlife Service will focus on introducing pygmy rabbits from Idaho into the area.

For more information: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_pygmy_rabbits.html

Pygmy Rabbit may need protection

My House Rabbit — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:08:11 +0000

The Fish and Wildlife Service have announced that they will begin an investigation on the status of the Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) to determine if this species will be listed as threatened or endangered. Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbits (who inhabit Washington) are already listed as endangered, and efforts to reintroduce captive-bred rabbits in the area have failed due to high predation. This new report could extend the endangered status listing to more states in the west including California, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah.

For more information:
90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) as Threatened or Endangered
Feds to Mull Protection for Pygmy Rabbit

My House Rabbit's Blog » pygmy rabbits

Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbits Now Extinct

Pygmy Rabbit may need protection