By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN, Associated Press Writer
Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press
Writer – Wed Jul 22, 6:19pm ET
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Rabbits are certainly known for their
propensity for multiplying, but one species of jackrabbit is having
trouble keeping up. There are an estimated 150 white-sided
jackrabbits left in the United States, and federal wildlife
officials announced Wednesday they will study the elusive rabbit to
determine if it needs to be protected under the Endangered Species
Act.
It's not lack of libido that's holding back the white-sided
jackrabbit.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the biggest threat is
change to the rabbits' habitat brought on by drought, grazing, the
suppression of wildfire and the encroachment of shrubs into the
Chihuahuan grasslands of New Mexico's
bootheel — the only place in the United States where the jackrabbit
has been documented. Wildfire helps keep shrubs in check and
revitalizes grasslands, which the rabbits depend on.
The rabbit also lives in Mexico, and those
populations have also declined, said Nicole Rosmarino, a biologist
with the Western environmental group WildEarth Guardians.
Rosmarino said the existing pressures on the white-sided
jackrabbit likely will worsen. Forecasters predict extended and
more-frequent periods of drought in the Southwest because of
climate change.
The Fish and Wildlife Service says it's uncertain how climate
change will affect the jackrabbit and its habitat, but it plans to
look more closely at the potential impact during its 12-month
review.
After the review, the agency will decide whether the rabbit
warrants protection as an endangered or threatened species. In New
Mexico, the rabbit has been listed as a state endangered species
since 1975.
"The rabbit has cleared the first hurdle toward federal
protection, so that's good news," Rosmarino said.
The Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to review the rabbit is
the result of a petition and lawsuit filed by
environmentalists.
The rabbit's name comes from a conspicuous white area along its
body, most noticeable when the rabbit runs. The jackrabbits,
usually seen in pairs, mate for life. While they can produce
several litters a year, the litters are usually small — between one
and three young.
The rabbit's large ears and long limbs are disproportionate to
its body, creating more surface area to help
the animal dissipate the heat that's part of living in the
desert.
Besides the white-sided jackrabbit, WildEarth Guardians is
seeking protections for other species, including the Sonoran desert
tortoise. The Fish and Wildlife Service has yet to issue a finding
on that species, but WildEarth Guardians says the tortoises'
numbers have also been cut in half in recent decades.
As Rosmarino points out, Wednesday's decision by the agency puts
the rabbit ahead of the tortoise, in both species' race to avoid
extinction.
