Funded Research: Protect Wildlife & Get Grants!

A. Project Background Information: Pygmy rabbits are not well understood, especially in Wyoming. While several surveys are conducted each year, there are still many unknowns pertaining to the use of burrow complexes and how to determine if a complex is being used currently, is historic, is being shared, or has been taken over by other animals. With the use of cameras to verify levels of use as it pertains to sign around burrows, we can more accurately apply pygmy rabbit survey data to management decisions.

As lands administered by the Pinedale Field Office of the BLM continue to undergo rapid expansion of the infrastructure associated with energy development, potential impacts to pygmy rabbits rise correspondingly. These potential impacts must be assessed and quantified in order to insure conservation of the species. This project addresses the fundamental question of whether pygmy rabbit habitat occupation is influenced by natural gas development. This will benefit the BLM by providing information necessary to design effective conservation and mitigation strategies.

It will also serve as a significant contribution to the scientific understanding of pygmy rabbit survey methodology and the species? vulnerability to different forms of habitat alteration and human disturbance. The currently accepted survey methodology (Ulmschneider et al. 2004) relies on indirect sign (e.g., burrow conditions and presence of scat) to establish presence of pygmy rabbits.

However, we do not know how accurately this represents current habitat occupation by rabbits. Since all management recommendations are based on this indirect sign, it is important to know how well it reflects actual rabbit populations. B. Project Objective: This is a collaborative effort and part of a much larger research project that will look at potential impacts of gas development to pygmy rabbits.

Therefore, it is proposed to measure the probability that a given level of sign equates to a live rabbit utilizing a burrow complex at the time of survey. This will be achieved by installing infrared-activated cameras at burrow complexes exhibiting variable levels of sign and drawing correlations between those levels and rabbit presence/absence. This objective will require a pilot study to determine camera types and settings required to accurately distinguish pygmy rabbits from photographs. This project will require a 4 month pilot study, followed by 5 years for completion.

Because pygmy rabbit habitat selection may differ seasonally field work will be organized around an annual time-line to ensure all seasonal periods are monitored. This study should be conducted prior to or concurrent with any of the other objectives funded to quantify the meaning of survey data used in the other objectives. A pilot study will be required to establish correct methodology for study and settings for remote-sensing camera equipment. We need to ensure that pygmy rabbit activity is recorded, including nocturnal activity, and is accurately discernable from the visual data acquired.

The pilot study should follow the methodology outlined above (i.e., cameras placed at burrow systems with fresh sign) with multiple equipment setting and placement options investigated. C. Period of Agreement: 5 years