In January 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced its determination that the pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) may warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Today?s decision comes as a result of a petition submitted by conservation groups in March 2023.

The pygmy rabbit is the world?s smallest rabbit and is threatened by livestock grazing, oil and gas extraction, invasive non-native grasses and wildfire. Pygmy rabbits require intact sagebrush for virtually all of their winter diet and for cover from predators. They also need areas with deep soil for constructing burrows where they shelter from predators and safeguard their babies. The current range of the pygmy rabbit encompasses parts of Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, California and Oregon. 

The 90-day finding triggers a review by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to evaluate if the pygmy rabbit warrants protections under the Endangered Species Act.