Can you identify a Pygmy rabbit?

Pygmy rabbit with ears highlighted
Pygmy rabbit identified by ears.
Credit: Evaline Sequim

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has produced an identification guide to assist wildlife viewers. CLICK HERE to view the Microsoft Word document.

Pygmy Rabbit Research and Management
Pygmy Rabbit in snow.
Pygmy Rabbit in snow.
Credit: H. Ulmschneider and R. Dixon

The smallest North American leporid, the Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) ranges through much of the Great Basin and beyond in sagebrush dominated habitats. Although somewhat widely distributed, the species' population status and trends is virtually unknown. A core group of researchers are beginning to uncover aspects of pygmy rabbit ecology in various parts of its range but much information regarding this enigmatic species has yet to be discovered. This website is designed to provide an online forum for scientists and managers interested in pygmy rabbit conservation. This site, managed by the USGS Snake River Field Station of the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, is intended to be dynamic, delivering new information as it becomes available. If you have data to contribute to the site please Contact Us.

Learn More....

about the conservation status, taxonomy, distribution, and life history information of the Pygmy Rabbit.
Go to the NatureServe Explorer - Pygmy Rabbit

about how biologists find Pygmy Rabbits.
View the Draft Protocol: Surveying For Pygmy Rabbits

about scientific articles on Pygmy Rabbits.
Go to the Great Basin Bibliography and enter "Pygmy Rabbit" in the keyword search box. Go to the Search Page.

about other information on Pygmy Rabbits.
Click on the following links for more Pygmy Rabbit Information.

More about Pygmy Rabbits
Showing 10 of 11 ( Show All )
CollapseBehavior, Dispersal, and Survival of Captive-Raised Idaho Pygmy Rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) Released onto the INEEL in Idaho
Description: The pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) is the smallest rabbit in North America, a sagebrush foraging specialist, and one of only two North American rabbits to dig its own burrow. The long-isolated and genetically unique population of Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits located in eastern Washington State has declined precipitously to dangerously low levels and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently listed the Washington pygmy rabbits as an endangered population segment under the Endangered Species Act. Because little is known about successful captive-rearing and methods for restoring pygmy rabbits back into vacant natural habitats, reintroduction techniques in southeastern Idaho are being tested to develop protocols for the eventual restoration of endangered pygmy rabbits in Washington State. Idaho pygmy rabbits are propagated in captivity at Washington State University (WSU) and elsewhere and released into the wild in southeastern Idaho. The Idaho Fish and Game Department supervises these releases to determine whether selected captive rearing and release methods influence the behavior, dispersal, and survival of pygmy rabbits reintroduced into suitable sagebrush habitat.
Resource Type: Case Studies
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: Idaho National Laboratory, Environmental Surveillance, Education and Research Program
CollapseComprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy for Wyoming
Description: The Wyoming State Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy was produced to provide a long-range conservation plan to conserve Wyoming’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need and meet the requirements of the Congressionally-authorized State Wildlife Grants Program.
Resource Type: Management Plans and Reports
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
CollapseDigital Distribution Maps of the Mammals of the Western Hemisphere Version 2.0 for Order of Lagomorpha and Family of Leporidae
Description: The data presented here represents a major product of this collaboration—a digital map library of the distributions of the terrestrial mammals of the Western Hemisphere, covering 1,786 species. The maps are fully annotated to indicate scale, sources, taxonomic decisions, and such issues as historic versus current ranges, origin (native or introduced) and island distributions, where applicable. These maps are presented as a free resource for conservationists, researchers, and the general public.
Resource Type: Internet Map Services, Datasets
Resource Format: Interactive Mapping, ESRI shape
Publisher: National Biological Information Infrastructure ( NBII )
CollapseDigital Distribution Maps of the Mammals of the Western Hemisphere Version 2.0 for Order of Lagomorpha and Family of Leporidae
Description: The data presented here represents a major product of this collaboration—a digital map library of the distributions of the terrestrial mammals of the Western Hemisphere, covering 1,786 species. The maps are fully annotated to indicate scale, sources, taxonomic decisions, and such issues as historic versus current ranges, origin (native or introduced) and island distributions, where applicable. These maps are presented as a free resource for conservationists, researchers, and the general public.
Resource Type: Internet Map Services, Datasets
Resource Format: Interactive Mapping, ESRI shape
Publisher: National Biological Information Infrastructure ( NBII )
CollapseHares and rabbits (Leporidae) Potential Distribution Map Services
Description: These map services represent GAP potential species distributions developed from habitat affinity models by the GAP Analysis Program, a dataset used in determining the conservation status of common species within a given state. The select species included in this map are defined as belonging in the order of Hares, rabbits, and pikas (Lagomorpha) and family of Hares and rabbits (Leporidae). These map services are available through OGC WMS 1.1.1 enabled for public access.
Resource Type: Internet Map Services
Resource Format: Interactive Mapping
Publisher: National Biological Information Infrastructure ( NBII )
CollapseMontana's Comprehensive Fish and Wildlife Conservation Strategy
Description: Montana's Comprehensive Fish and Wildlife Conservation Strategy is an exhaustive analysis of more than 600 species of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, crayfish and mussels and the habitats where they live. Montana's strategy outlines actions developed by scientists, anglers and hunters, conservationists and communities working together.
Resource Type: Management Plans and Reports
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
CollapseSpecies Account for the Pygmy Rabbit
Description: The species account contains information for the pygmy rabbit related to the areas of: diagnosis, general characteristics, distribution, fossil record, reproduction,ecology, and behavior.
Resource Type: Life Histories and Species Profiles
Resource Format: PDF
Publisher: Smith College
CollapseSpecies Profile: Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis)
Description: 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. This species profile includes information on regulatory status, recovery plans, and petition documents.
Resource Type: Life Histories and Species Profiles
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: United States Fish and Wildlife Service
CollapseStatus of the Pygmy Rabbit ( Brachylagus idahoensis ) in Utah
Description: Information on the status of the pygmy rabbit in Utah was compiled for this report. The following areas are covered for this species: classification and nomenclature, legal status, description, significance of the taxon, geographic distribution, life history, and status of the species related to abundance and threats.
Resource Type: Life Histories and Species Profiles
Resource Format: PDF
Publisher: United States Bureau of Land Management
CollapseSURVEYING FOR PYGMY RABBITS (Brachylagus idahoensis)
Description: FROM THE INTRO: The intended audience for this paper is biologists who will be surveying for pygmy rabbits. Our purpose is to help you find pygmy rabbits, by using a standardized but flexible and realistic approach.
Resource Type: Federal Government Agencies (U.S.), Forms, Monitoring Protocols, Recommended Practices
Resource Format: DOC
Publisher: Bureau of Land Management

United States Fish and Wildlife Service Considers Listing Pygmy Rabbit

On January 9, 2008 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the pygmy rabbit may warrant federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. This 90-finding triggers a thorough status review of the species that considers all available biological information.

Click here to read the entire News Release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now soliciting information from all interested parties regarding the pygmy rabbit and its habitat.

Taxonomy Helper

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Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

Pygmy Rabbit

    Kingdom: Animalia
    Division: Chordata
    Subdivision: Vertebrata
    Class: Mammalia
    Subclass: Theria
    Infraclass: Eutheria
    Order: Lagomorpha
    Family: Leporidae
    Genus: Brachylagus
    Species: Brachylagus idahoensis
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