The Pygmy Rabbit

The Pygmy Rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis is a North American rabbit, and is one of only two rabbit species in America to dig its own burrow. The Pygmy Rabbit differs significantly from species within either the Lepus or Sylvilagus genera and is generally considered to be within the monotypic genus Brachylagus. Although it is listed as an endangered species in the Columbia Basin of the United States, the IUCN lists the species as lower risk. This is because the Columbia Basin population is a genetically distinct isolated relict population well on its way to evolving into a distinct subspecies, whereas the IUCN only considers species as a whole.

The Pygmy Rabbit is the smallest leporid in North America, with mean adult weights from 375 to about 500 grams (0.8 to 1.1 pounds), and a body length from 23.5 to 29.5 centimeters (9¼ to 11½ inches); females are slightly larger than males. The pygmy rabbit is distinguishable from other leporids by its small size, short ears, gray color, small hind legs, and lack of white fur on the tail.

The Pygmy Rabbit is typically found in areas of tall, dense sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) cover, and are highly dependent on sagebrush to provide both food and shelter throughout the year. The historic distribution of the Pygmy Rabbit included much of the semi-arid, shrub steppe region of the Great Basin and adjacent intermountain zones of the conterminous western United States, and included portions of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Washington.

The last male purebred Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit, found only in Douglas County, Washington, died March 30, 2006, at the Oregon Zoo in Portland. The last purebred female died in 2008.^[3] A crossbreeding program conducted by the Oregon Zoo, Washington State University and Northwest Trek is attempting to preserve the genetic line by breeding surviving females with the Idaho Pygmy Rabbit.