Reintroduction of pygmy rabbits to the wild relies a lot on semi-wild breeding enclosures to produce juveniles that are released into suitable habitat with the goal of establishing self-sufficient populations.
September 2, 2026
Stories this photo appears in:
September 3, 2026 3:45 a.m.
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.