What is covered in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services announcement about the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit?
We have exercised our authority to emergency list the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit under the emergency provisions of the Endangered Species Act, which will afford it immediate Federal protection for a period of 240 days. We have also published a proposed rule to list this distinct population segment under our normal listing procedures, which specifically solicits comments and additional information from the general public, other governmental agencies, the scientific community, industry, or other interested parties concerning any future listing actions we may undertake for this species. What are Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits? The pygmy rabbit is the smallest rabbit in North America, with adults weighing approximately 1 pound and measuring less than 1 foot in length. The pygmy rabbit is one of only two rabbit species in North America that digs its own burrows, and it is usually found in areas of dense sagebrush cover in relatively deep, loose soils. The Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit has been
