Survival of the endangered Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit hinges on sagebrush

Protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, efforts are ongoing to keep it self-sufficient

EPHRATA — The Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit was once prolific in the region, numbering in the thousands. But with agricultural development, its numbers have plummeted to around 100-150 fragmented populations. However, a dedicated group of people and organizations are working to preserve its habitat, primarily corridors of shrub cover, critical to their survival.