Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Washington
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

The Columbia Basin population of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) is both federally and Washington-state endangered. Small population size, disease, fire, and habitat fragmentation are major threats to the population. We propose engaging managers, stakeholders, and experts in a structured decision making (SDM) process to identify a comprehensive recovery strategy for pygmy rabbits that involves clear management objectives, identification of a suite of recovery alternatives, and a modeling framework in which these alternatives can be evaluated. This work is being carried out in collaboration with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The product of this process will be an actionable recovery strategy for Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits, along with identified next steps, including key information needs.