Pygmy Rabbit
From Freepedia
| Pygmy Rabbit</br> Conservation status: Lower risk | ||||||||||||||
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| Brachylagus idahoensis (Merriam, 1891) |
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. It is listed as an endangered species in the Colombia Basin of the United States, the IUCN lists the species as lower risk.
The Pygmy Rabbit is the smallest Leporid in North America, with mean adult weights from 375 to about 500 grams (0.83 to 1.1 pounds), and a body length from 23.5 to 29.5 centimeters (9.3 to 11.6 inches), females are slighyly 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.
Pygmy rabbits are 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.
References
- United States Government. Federal Register
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2004. Recovery Outline for the Columbia Basin Distinct Population Segment of the Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis)
