# SURVEYING FOR PYGMY RABBITS (*Brachylagus idahoensis)*

*Fourth Draft -- June 3, 2004*

*Principal author: **Helen Ulmschneider**, Boise District, ID BLM*

Review and contributions from*:*

***Dave Hays** (WA Dept. Fish and Wildlife)*

***Hadley Roberts** (independent wildlife biologist, ID),*

***Janet Rachlow** (Univ. Idaho)*

***Todd Forbes** (BLM, OR)*

***John Himes** (Nevada Dept. Wildlife, now at Texas Parks and Wildlife
Dept.)*

***Eveline Sequin** (Univ. Nevada-Reno, NV)*

***Marcy Haworth** (FWS, Reno, NV)*

***Todd Katzner** (Univ. Wyoming, now at Imperial College, London,
England)*

***Adam Kozlowski** (Utah Div. Wildlife Resources)*

***Ryan Rauscher** (Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks)*

***Pat Lauridson** (CA Dept. Fish and Game)*

# Introduction

Pygmy rabbits are a BLM Sensitive Species which occur through most of
the Great Basin. Although it has been petitioned for listing under the
Endangered Species Act, its distribution and population trends are
largely unknown. In recent years, biologists in most of the western
states have surveyed for and found populations of this rabbit, although
there is still much area to inventory. On February 26, 2003, biologists
from various federal and state agencies and universities met in Reno to
discuss the current state of knowledge and future work needed for pygmy
rabbits. Development of a consistent method for surveying for pygmy
rabbits across their range was identified as a high priority. A westwide
survey subgroup was formed which helped develop this current paper,
based largely on a previous effort by the Idaho BLM pygmy rabbit survey
committee.

The intended audience for this paper is biologists who will be surveying
for pygmy rabbits. Our purpose is to help you find pygmy rabbits, by
using a standardized but flexible and realistic approach. The
information presented is a collation of field knowledge gained by
biologists who have surveyed for pygmy rabbits in Idaho, Nevada, Utah,
Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, and California. This paper describes pygmy
rabbit habitat, how to recognize and evaluate rabbit sign, an approach
for organizing and conducting broad-scale surveys, and how to record
data. It also includes discussion of some other survey techniques. It
includes photos of habitat and burrows. This is a work in progress and
may be modified as we learn more about the variety of habitats used by
pygmy rabbits, pygmy rabbit sign, and about surveying for these rabbits.

The goal of the broad scale survey described here is primarily to find
populations of the rabbit. However, by conducting surveys and recording
data in the manner described, locations and a measure of burrow density
and "occupancy status" can be obtained at the same time, which can
provide a baseline index for population monitoring, and a way to
coarsely compare different areas. These surveys will document not only
where the rabbits are but also where they are not, which is useful
information for refining habitat models, and for land managers.

We recommend that biologists surveying or studying pygmy rabbits across
the range of the species will use the included form to gather the basic
population data identified (burrow locations and status), although they
may add or delete other data to suit their specific needs. This way, it
will be easier to compare population indices across the west and across
the years.

**Field Training**

*A key piece of advice*: The rabbits themselves are secretive and
difficult to see; thus it is being familiar with their habitat and sign
that is the key to finding populations. Before surveying, look at pygmy
rabbit habitat, burrows and pellets with an experienced person in the
field. If possible, also look at badger and ground squirrel diggings, to
help you learn to distinguish the differences between their burrows and
those of pygmy rabbits. Descriptions and pictures are helpful, but
there's no substitute for seeing it in the field. Biologists from
different states with experience in surveying for pygmy rabbits are
listed in Appendix A.

**Habitat**

There are two main features of pygmy rabbit habitat: relatively taller
and denser big sagebrush (*Artemisia tridentata)* (but see below) and
deep soils.

***Sagebrush***

Usually burrows are found in the taller and denser big sagebrush in an
area. The height of the sagebrush can vary enormously, from about 1 ½ to
7 feet. Density can also vary, but commonly the sagebrush is so dense
right at burrows that it is difficult to walk through. This means \> 30%
cover. Various subspecies of sagebrush are used, including Wyoming (*A.
t. wyomingensis*), mountain (*A. t. vaseyana*), and Great Basin (*A. t.
tridentata*). Other shrub species may be present, including bitterbrush
(*Purshia tridentata)*, rabbitbrush (*Chrysothamnus* spp.*)*, greasewood
(*Sarcobatus vermiculatus)*, snowberry (*Symphoricarpos* spp.*)*, and
juniper (*Juniperus* spp.).

In some habitats used by pygmy rabbit in Oregon and Nevada, rabbitbrush
is dominant or co-dominant with sagebrush, and burrows occasionally or
commonly occur under large dense rabbitbrush (T. Forbes, OR; E. Sequin,
NV, pers. comm.) and greasewood (J. Himes, NV, pers. comm.). The burrows
are so hidden under the canopy that they are often only found by lifting
the vegetation.

Pygmy rabbits also may occupy habitat that does not appear ideal: with
short sagebrush and "bad" soil. In east-central Idaho, pygmy rabbits
occupy "mima mounds" (mounds of soil several feet high and approximately
20-30 feet in diameter) with taller and denser sage, which are dotted in
a landscape of shorter and thinner sagebrush (Roberts 2001). Katzner and
Kozlowski (pers. comm.) both emphasize that it is important to keep an
open mind, and not develop set ideas about what comprises pygmy rabbit
habitat too early, or you may overlook inhabited areas. In Wyoming,
Katzner (pers. comm.) has seen pygmy rabbits in areas that he initially
would not have thought were habitat. In Montana, the average sagebrush
height in occupied sites was only about 15 inches. There, Rauscher
(pers. comm.) has often found them in areas where the sagebrush is not
very dense and only knee-high or less, especially in mountain bowls and
where sagebrush has been manipulated. In Utah, pygmy rabbits have been
found to occupy 12 to 120-inch tall sagebrush. Regardless of the
absolute height of the vegetation, the rabbits will almost always burrow
in the tallest and densest sagebrush on the landscape.

***Soils***

Generally, pygmy rabbits burrow in loamy soils deeper than 20 inches.
Soil composition needs to be able to support a burrow system with
numerous entrances, but also must be soft enough for digging. A habitat
model from the Univ. of Idaho (Rachlow and Svancara 2003) used a clay
content of 13 to 30%, but models from Idaho State Univ. (Simons and
Laundre 2001) used \<13.5 % clay. In central Washington, pygmy rabbits
are found only in areas with deep loamy soils. In southwest Idaho, they
occur in areas with soils classified as stony sandy loam, and sandy loam
over sandy clay and clay loam. In east-central Idaho, soils are gravelly
outwash plains with lime-coated rocks. On the lava plains of southeast
Idaho, rabbits will often burrow between or under lava boulders. In
Nevada, soils are light-colored and friable.

***At the Landscape Scale***

Pygmy rabbits are found in alluvial fans, swales in a rolling landscape,
large flat valleys, at the foot of mountains, along creek and drainage
bottoms, in basins in the mountains, or other landscape features where
soil may have accumulated to greater depths. They are generally on
flatter ground, sometimes on moderate slopes, and not on steep ground.

***At the Patch Scale***

Look for relatively taller, denser big sagebrush (not low sage) and
areas where there appears to be a non-uniform distribution of sage, in
other words, where the texture of the sagebrush stand is uneven, or
"lumpy", in both height and density. When scanning across a valley these
clumps stand out as taller, or as having a different color. It is fairly
effective to go directly to these areas to begin a search. Also look for
signs of digging, and for soil surface that is not flat and level. The
rabbits tend to mound up the soil where they have been burrowing over
the years. Drainage bottoms and sagebrush draws with a relatively
uniform coverage of sagebrush are also often used by pygmy rabbits.

***Habitat Descriptions by State***

*[Idaho]{.underline}*: Areas with mounded topography -- 'mima mounds' --
are prime areas to target for surveys. In the Salmon, Idaho area,
alluvial plains where rabbits are found are dotted with mounds about
20-30 ft in diameter, 1-2 ft tall, several hundred feet or yards apart,
where the sagebrush is taller than in the surrounding intermound spaces.
On 1:24,000 aerial photos, these mounds can be seen as a pattern of
darker dots, extending over many miles of landscape (Photo 1 -- Rocky
Canyon); and from the ground, the mounds appear as lenses of darker and
taller sage. The mounds are where the pygmy rabbits burrow. In southwest
Idaho, a similar habitat is big sagebrush islands intermingled with low
sagebrush (*Artemisia arbuscula)(* Photo 2 -- Hutch Springs, Photo 3 --
Mudflat Rd with Lynell). These kinds of areas are also visible on aerial
photos).

In the mahogany (*Cercocarpus ledifolius)* savannah in the Owyhees of
southwest Idaho, the rabbits are found in swales of taller sagebrush
(photo 4 -- aerial of mahogany savannah, photo 5- Dry Cr.) Mounding of
the soil is present, but does not form distinctive mima mounds. A dotted
pattern is usually not visible on 1:24,000 aerial photographs, although
careful examination can show subtle and dim dotting. The soil does end
up mounded where the pygmy rabbits have been digging their burrows and
maintaining them over time.

Another major habitat in the Bruneau plateau country is the bottoms and
lower slopes of small drainages where the sagebrush is denser and
taller, indicating deeper soils (Photos 6 -& 7).

*[Oregon]{.underline}:* Habitats in Oregon are very similar to those in
Idaho. Most habitat is comprised of areas where big sagebrush inclusions
are mixed with low sagebrush, rabbit brush, or shorter stature big
sagebrush. Mounding similar to 'mima mounding' occurs in most of these
sites (Photos 8, 9, 10, 11). Sagebrush on the mounds is usually 1-3 feet
taller than that of the surrounding area. These mounds or clumps of big
sagebrush can be spaced from a few feet to hundreds of feet apart.

The second most common type of habitat in Oregon is small draw bottoms
where deeper soils have collected. Most of these sites are vegetated
with basin big sagebrush in the drainage bottom, surrounded by Wyoming
big sagebrush, low sagebrush, or mountain big sagebrush in the
surrounding uplands. Some mounding can occur in these areas, but it is
absent or very subtle. Burrows in these areas seem to be restricted to
the very bottom of the drainages or the lower inside slopes of the
drainage itself. Some areas with rabbits are dominated by rabbitbrush
(Photo 12 - rabbitbrush).

*[Nevada]{.underline}*: In Nevada pygmy rabbits are found in broad
valley floors, drainage bottoms, alluvial fans, and other areas with
friable soils. Burrows can be located in mounds (either natural or human
caused) when they are available in these types of soils. Pygmy rabbit
burrows are easiest to find in light colored, friable soils. These soils
are usually found in valley bottoms and can be associated with
rabbitbrush / sagebrush vegetation. The understory of grasses and forbs
can vary from almost none (as in the Reese River Valley) to dense (as in
the Sheldon Range). When there are a lot of rabbits present in a valley
they are generally distributed throughout the area. However, when there
are only a few individuals, they are generally located in the largest,
most dense clumps of vegetation (as in the White River Valley).

*[Montana]{.underline}:* Pygmy rabbits are found in habitats similar to
those in Idaho and Oregon: large intermountain valley bottoms, alluvial
fans, mountain valleys and bowls, drainage bottoms, plateaus, rolling
sagebrush plains and isolated patches of sagebrush in grasslands.
Preferred habitat in Montana appears to be gently sloping or nearly
level floodplains where adequate sagebrush and appropriate soils exist.
However, many occupied sites have marginal sagebrush cover and shallower
soils. Areas that contain mima-like mounds are good areas to
investigate. If pygmy rabbits are found in these areas, they generally
occur throughout the continuous sagebrush coverage at varying densities
and up into sagebrush drainages.

*[Wyoming]{.underline}:* Pygmy rabbits occur in swales of taller, denser
sagebrush in a setting of hillsides with thinly distributed, shorter
sage. Although there have been no quantitative studies comparing pygmy
rabbit habitats in different areas, the habitat in Wyoming appears
different from that in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and western Idaho
(Katzner, pers. comm.). The overall impression from observation is that
the sagebrush in Wyoming is denser and often less heavily grazed, with
more standing dead sagebrush, and more Great Basin big sage. The general
areas used by pygmy rabbits have evenly distributed, taller, and more
structurally diverse sagebrush with a dense canopy. Three subspecies of
big sagebrush can be present, Great Basin, Wyoming, and mountain.
Surrounding unused areas have fewer, shorter, shrubs with less
vegetative cover.

*[Utah]{.underline}:* The site characteristics of areas inhabited by
pygmy rabbits in Utah vary considerably, because they occupy three
different ecoregions (U.S. EPA): Central Basin and Range, Wyoming Basin,
and the Wasatch and Uintah Mountain. These regions vary significantly in
latitude, elevation, precipitation, and geologic history. Pygmy rabbits
are found throughout the western half of the state in habitat ranging
from 4800 to 7800 feet in elevation and 0° to 20° slopes. Some evidence
suggests that Pleistocene Lake Bonneville has excluded the rabbits from
the lowest elevations of the Great Basin. Rabbits occur both in alluvial
deposits and in favorable microsites on bench tops. Habitat in Utah's
northern or high elevation sites is characterized by Wyoming, mountain,
and Basin big sagebrush, with bitterbrush and snowberry present at the
highest elevations. (Photos 13, 14 - Northern Utah habitat). Burrow
habitat in southern, low elevation sites is often limited to the bottom
of gentle drainages supporting Wyoming sagebrush amid a black sage,
shadscale, and gray molly community of minimal height (28 cm).
Understory condition is variable: many sites have grasses and forbs in
excellent condition, but some of the most numerous pygmy rabbit
populations discovered are in chronically grazed areas (sheep and
cattle) being targeted for rehabilitation. In all parts of its Utah
range, burrowing by the pygmy rabbit appears to be part of a positive
feedback system: the rabbits choose the tallest, densest sagebrush, and
their burrowing and the mounding it causes appears to help taller,
denser sagebrush to grow. Especially in the lowest elevations, raised
mounds provide relief from shallow water tables and alkali soil
chemistry allowing growth of better cover and forage species.

*[California]{.underline}:* Northeastern California has historical
records of pygmy rabbits but has not been surveyed recently. Recent
surveys have documented rabbits in the Mono Lake area. Pygmy rabbit
habitat in Northeastern California is very similar to adjacent Nevada
habitat. Two habitat types occur in the Mono area (photos 15, 16). Near
Mono Lake, pygmy rabbits occur in islands of big sagebrush and loamy
soils, similar to areas in Nevada, but with sandier soils (Photo).
Burrows tend to be in sandy loam soils, which are often surrounded by
very sandy soils. The second area, near Bodie, has shorter, more uniform
sagebrush, often less than 3 ft tall, with less clumping of the
sagebrush. The elevation at this site is 8400 ft, one of the highest
known populations.

**Pygmy Rabbit Sign**

***Burrows- (Photos 17-20)***

-   Burrow entrances range from 4-10 inches across, usually fairly round
    but may be slightly wider than tall. The size of pygmy rabbit
    burrows usually surprises biologists the first time they see them
    because the holes are larger than they would have thought; many
    would have identified them as badger burrows. The older a burrow,
    the more the entrance seems to get enlarged, possibly from predators
    digging.

-   Burrows are most often placed right at the base of a sagebrush, or
    occasionally another shrub species. Sometimes an entrance will be
    more in the open, but the majority of entrances will be underneath
    sage.

-   At burrows, usually you will find the sagebrush so dense that
    walking is difficult, and you have to thread your way through it
    (which means \>30% canopy cover). In more open sagebrush where you
    can walk more freely, you will probably not find burrows.

-   The opening of the burrow usually flares out, and there may be a
    large pile of dirt outside the entrance, 1 to 3 feet in diameter.

-   Usually, there will be more than one entrance in a burrow system;
    2-4 is most common, with a maximum of up to 12, and occasionally
    there is only one.

-   The burrow can slope down very steeply or moderately, and the burrow
    often narrows down from the flared entrance to about 4-5 inches in
    diameter.

-   At currently used burrows, there will often be a lot of fresh dirt
    piled outside the entrances. Key your search on piles of fresh dirt
    to find burrows.

-   Burrow systems will rarely be isolated; there will be a number of
    them in a habitat area. Isolated burrows without pellets are
    difficult to identify with certainty.

-   A key feature of pygmy rabbit burrow systems is that they show
    evidence of having been built up and used over many years, unlike
    ground squirrel or badger diggings, which are generally a one-time
    affair. Pygmy rabbits remodel in the same spot year after year,
    creating mounded areas with taller, denser sagebrush growing on the
    old dirt piles, and evidence of burying the lower stem of nearby
    sagebrush over time. The undug areas between these mounded areas
    will have a fairly level ground surface (observation from Dana
    Quinney, expert on badger and ground squirrel diggings, Idaho Army
    National Guard).

-   Sagebrush grows taller and denser on the mounded dirt. As pygmy
    rabbits 'remodel' over the years, filling in one tunnel and digging
    new ones within the same burrow system, they create overlapping
    mounds of varying ages in one area. The resulting complex of mounded
    area may be 15 to 30 ft in diameter. Thus, pygmy rabbit burrow areas
    have old mounding with plants and shrubs growing on them in addition
    to the current fresh dirt piles.

It is common to find many old burrows, with no fresh pellets, while
surveying. In general, unoccupied old burrows appear to last some years.
However, in Nevada, Sequin (pers. comm.) has observed extensive burrow
systems "melt" completely into non-existence over the course of two to
four weeks of wet weather in certain soils. All evidence of burrows was
erased. Some of these burrows had been associated with very high pygmy
rabbit activity just a few weeks prior. Later, the rabbits appear to
return and dig burrows again.

***Pellets-( Photos 21-22)***

Rabbit pellets are distinctive: round, without dents or points,
different from those of any other group of animals. Pygmy rabbit pellets
are the smallest of the rabbit pellets, averaging 4-6 mm in diameter.
However, the size can vary. Pregnant females produce bigger pellets, as
large as cottontails, and up to 11 mm in diameter! (Dave Hays, pers.
comm.). Young cottontails can produce very small pellets. Usually the
size of pellets is uniform within a pellet group.

-   Pellets are in little groupings near the burrow entrance and under
    sagebrush nearby. At an active burrow, there will often be a carpet
    of evenly-sized small pellets. Large quantities of uniformly small
    pellets around a burrow entrance are diagnostic of pygmy rabbits.

-   Mountain cottontail pellets average 6-10 mm, but can be smaller. It
    appears that younger, smaller cottontails produce smaller pellets.
    Thus, they can overlap in size with pygmy rabbit pellets, creating
    potential for confusion. Be cautious: in Washington, genetic testing
    of pellets thought to be pygmy rabbit revealed they were from
    cottontails (Dave Hays, pers. comm.).

-   Cottontails may use some of the same areas as pygmy rabbits, and may
    use their burrows. Beware particularly if there are rocky outcrops
    nearby. This is less of an issue in some places such as the Lemhi
    Valley, where the two do not commonly coexist. It can be more of a
    problem in smaller pygmy rabbit habitat patches intermixed with rock
    outcrops, such as in the Owyhee uplands. However, in Lakeview,
    Oregon, a telemetry study showed cottontails using the same habitats
    and some of the same burrows as the pygmy rabbits, though there are
    no rock outcrops for miles.

-   Full-grown whitetail jackrabbit scat is 11-12 mm in diameter;
    blacktail jackrabbit pellets are about 9-10 mm in diameter.

-   Rodents, including ground squirrels, have oblong droppings.

-   Recent rabbit pellets are usually a dark to medium brown to greenish
    or blackish color. Very fresh pellets have sheen or appear somewhat
    glossy. Older pellets appear somewhat dull and eventually weather to
    gray. If the rabbits have been eating a lot of dry grass, fresh
    pellets may be more tan, the color of dry grass, and a little
    larger. If rabbits have been eating green wet feed in the spring,
    the pellets can be almost black on the outside, green on the inside,
    and may be more elongated and have little pinched ends, being softer
    when they were deposited.

-   We don't know how long pellets last or how long they take to turn
    grey. Weather conditions affect how fast they turn grey; dry pellets
    will stay brown, wet pellets will turn grey faster. Pellets under
    winter snow may stay very fresh looking until uncovered the next
    spring. In an experiment at 6000 ft in southwest Idaho, pellets
    gathered fresh in April and placed under a sagebrush were still
    brown in December. By the next April, they were grey, probably from
    the wet of winter snows and spring rains followed by exposure to
    sunlight.

-   Some ants collect the pellets, so if you find burrows and no
    pellets, it may be due to ants. Look for them on the conical ant
    piles.

-   Rabbits sometimes eat their own pellets (coprophagy), apparently
    mostly during the night (Dave Hays, pers. comm.).

***Other Burrows (photos 23-26)***

-   A key difference between pygmy rabbit and badger or ground squirrel
    burrows is that badger and ground squirrel burrows generally do not
    create large complex mounds of overlapping dirt piles.

-   Richardson's ground squirrels make smaller holes the size of the
    diameter of their bodies (approximately 2 -3 inches), and which do
    not usually have a flared entrance or a sizable pile of dirt. They
    usually dig holes in the open, overall occupy more open areas, and
    are often associated with a wet area of some kind. Belding's ground
    squirrel burrows are similar, but are in dry areas, and can be found
    under sagebrush as well as in the open. Pygmy rabbit and ground
    squirrel burrows may be mingled in the same area. Any ground
    squirrel may use pygmy rabbit burrows, or may dig their smaller
    burrows off of pygmy rabbit tunnels (Dana Quinney, Idaho National
    Guard, pers. comm.).

-   Piute (Townsend's) ground squirrels also have small burrows with
    little dirt around them, and may be both under bushes or out in the
    open, but not particularly near water.

-   Antelope ground squirrels have many small entrance holes placed in a
    mound of dirt 5 -10 ft across and a foot or so high. Kangaroo rat
    burrows are similar. Both tend to be in sandier soils than pygmy
    rabbit burrows.

-   Badger diggings are typically bigger than those of pygmy rabbits,
    12-18 inches across and very round. Where there are ground
    squirrels, badger diggings may be numerous. Typically, however, you
    will see large, badger-dug holes located next to small ground
    squirrel holes, at least while ground squirrels are active. So
    instead of several moderate-sized burrow entrances near each other,
    like a pygmy rabbit burrow system, there will be big and small
    burrows together. Additionally, badger hunting burrows are one-time
    affairs, and even their natal burrows are only used briefly during
    one year.

-   Where badgers have dug out pygmy rabbit burrows, which is common in
    some areas, the entrance will be enlarged to 12 ti 18 inches, and
    very round, with a large pile of dirt. You probably will find both
    badger-dug and regular pygmy rabbit burrows in the area.

-   Coyote and fox burrows are bigger, and more in the open, not under
    the sage. There will be only one burrow system in an area, not a
    number of them.

-   Chipmunks, pocket mice, and deer mice all have burrows that are tiny
    (1 inch in diameter or so) and no or little loose dirt outside.

-   Pocket gophers produce a mound of dirt about a foot in diameter,
    approximately 4-6 inches high, and the entrance hole, approximately
    2-3 inches in diameter, is hidden under the mound of dirt. There
    will be a number of mounds in an area, and they are usually more in
    the open, between the bushes. In winter, pocket gophers tunnel under
    snow and fill the tunnels with soil; these will produce ropes of
    soil after the snow melts. They move through the landscape as they
    burrow, rather than maintaining a stationary burrow system.

***Deciding whether burrows are pygmy rabbit or not***

It is the combination of all indicators that you need to consider, both
of the burrow itself, pellets, and the pattern of burrows on the
landscape. No other animal digs burrows with the combination of features
of those of the pygmy rabbit: in tall dense sagebrush habitat, burrow
entrance 5-7 inches average diameter, located under sagebrush, a number
of burrow systems in an area, and small round pellets. A burrow system
with a carpet of small rabbit pellets around it is diagnostic of pygmy
rabbits.

-   First, you need to find both burrows and pellets together.

-   For burrows that appear characteristic of pygmy rabbits but have no
    pellets, search further in the area, and/or look at another time of
    year. If you find other burrows with pygmy rabbit pellets in the
    area, then you can conclude that other, similar burrows without
    pellets are also from pygmy rabbits. Old burrows may tell us
    something about changes in population extent or density (although
    we're not sure how to interpret it yet!), and are also important to
    map.

-   If you find small rabbit pellets but no burrows in the area, they
    are probably from mountain cottontails, especially near rocks.
    Burrows are an essential piece of evidence, because the pygmy rabbit
    seldom ventures far from them. (However, see the section on seasonal
    considerations.). There should be a number of burrow systems in an
    area, within a habitat patch.

-   Is it the right habitat -- big sagebrush and deep soils?

-   Are the burrows placed underneath sage? Are they the right size and
    shape?

-   What other animals are around? Be aware there may be cottontails and
    perhaps young jackrabbits producing small pellets similar in size to
    pygmy rabbit pellets, or ground squirrels, badgers, or other
    burrowers to sort out.

-   Cottontails and ground squirrels may use burrows originally dug by
    pygmy rabbits, and further confuse the issue. However, of the
    rabbits, only pygmy rabbits actually dig burrows. We are interested
    in burrows dug originally by pygmy rabbits, even if they are now
    occupied by another animal.

-   Finally, you can use other methods (discussed at the end of this
    paper) to confirm presence of pygmy rabbits.

***Sign in Snow***

During winter, pygmy rabbit tracks and pellets in the snow can be more
obvious than other times of the year. Pygmy rabbit tracks can generally
be distinguished from other rabbits by the size of the hind foot (Table
1). During winter, juvenile cottontails are nearly the same size as
adults, which should minimize overlap in track size between the species.

**Table 1.** Rabbit track sizes, from information in Forrest 1988, Green
and Flinders 1980, and Katzner 1994.

  ----------------- ---------- --------- ---------------- --------- ---------------- --------
                    **Pygmy              **Cottontail**             **Jackrabbit**   
                    Rabbit**                                                         

  **Back foot       1.8-2.5 in 46-71 mm  3-3.5 in         77-90 mm  3.5 -4 in        90-103
  length**                                                                           mm

  **One track set   6-8 in               6.5-11 in                  10-30 in         
  (4 feet)**                                                                         

  **Between track   6-16 in              8-22 in                    10-60 in         
  sets**                                                                             
  ----------------- ---------- --------- ---------------- --------- ---------------- --------

Both Rauscher and Katzner (pers. comm.) have observed that pygmy rabbits
traveling in fresh snow will re-use the same tracks, leaping from spot
to spot a few inches apart (launching-and-landing sites), and leaving a
diagnostic pattern. This keeps the rabbits relatively clear of snow and
means that they can move much more easily in new snow than if they had
to break trail every time they moved. As the rabbits use those sites for
several days, the launching-and-landing sites get larger and larger and
eventually become a continuous trail. Other rabbit species do not create
this initial stage of re-used launching-and-landing sites. Over time, in
older snow, pygmy rabbits create a complex maze of continuous trails
between burrows (Ulmschneider, pers. obs.).

It can be quite effective and efficient to drive two-track roads in
sagebrush areas a day or two after a light snow, looking for launching
and landing sites, measuring rabbit tracks, and following weasel or
other predator tracks to locate pygmy rabbits (Rauscher, Katzner pers.
comm.). To find burrows, it can also be useful to look where snow on a
sagebrush forms an umbrella with a cave underneath. Rabbits often use
these areas and pellets and tracks will be found underneath. (Sequin,
pers. comm.). In the snow, active burrows will be obvious with tracks
leading into and out from the entrances.

Snow tracking is also an excellent way to obtain detailed habitat use
data. In Utah, intensive snow tracking was conducted in 2003-2004 on a
high elevation (7400 ft) site that had been thoroughly surveyed during
the preceding spring and summer. Six to ten hours after a fresh snow,
tracks of pygmy rabbits were followed by an observer with a GPS unit.
Burrow clusters were considered the sample unit as it was too difficult
to distinguish individuals. When overlaid on 1 m resolution imagery,
GPS-mapped snow tracks illuminate social interactions between rabbits
from different burrow clusters (gene flow), and maximum travel distances
from burrows. Uninterrupted tracks extended for several kilometers,
creating meta-burrow complexes. Most importantly, habitat parameters
being measured are representative of the rabbits' foraging and social
behaviors, not just their burrow locations. It was generally agreed
among participating researchers that radio telemetry could not have
provided an equivalent level of resolution without disturbing the
rabbit.

**Organizing and Conducting Surveys**

***Targeting habitat***

Pygmy rabbits are not randomly distributed within the sagebrush
landscape, they are patchily distributed, because they choose particular
soils and sagebrush habitats, and they do not appear to be abundant in
many situations. Additionally, we cannot yet accurately predict with
models where they might occur. With a patchy distribution, random survey
methods that might work well for a more evenly distributed animal would
be ineffective and inefficient. It is necessary to first target habitat
as best you can, that is, to sort out the most likely habitat. We
describe below a several-stage approach to doing this, using aerial
photos, soil and vegetation maps, Geographic Information Systems (GIS,
if available), field knowledge, and driving and walking in the field as
the final step to target where to look for pygmy rabbits.

**Landscape Scale:** The most basic components to use in a GIS model or
other map are sagebrush types overlaid on soils (composition and depth).
One kind of area to target for surveys is regions where big and low
sagebrush are intermingled. Some models have added slope, aspect, fire
history, and elevation, but these would be secondary parameters after
first delineating sagebrush types and soils.

Fire history can be relevant but you need to know whether sagebrush has
come back in or not. The timescale for this will vary enormously
depending on whether its mountain sagebrush (maybe 15 years) or Wyoming
sagebrush (maybe 100 years or never). So you must include this
difference in a model. Aspect may be relevant if windblown soils are
being deposited on the lee sides of hills, as in Gabler's model for the
Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, and Himes'
model for east-central Nevada. Slope and elevation may be somewhat
useful, after first delineating potential habitat using sagebrush types
and soils.

For examples of GIS models from Idaho, see Rachlow and Svancara 2003, or
Gabler et al 2000. John Himes (Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.) has
developed one for east-central Nevada, currently in review for
publication. Be cautious with GIS models -- we don't have successful
ones yet. The Idaho models need refinement. The data used for both
models did not distinguish between low sagebrush and big sagebrush. This
resulted in the models rating as habitat large homogenous expanses of
low sage with very rocky shallow soils, where no pygmy rabbits are
found. Areas where pygmy rabbits were subsequently found in southwest
Idaho were not targeted, some prime areas with intermingled big and low
sagebrush.

The lessons from these efforts are that better habitat models are
needed, as well as finer-scale, more accurate soil and sagebrush data.
Additionally, there is no substitute for knowing what to look for from
field experience, and going in the field and looking.

**Mid-scale:** Examine aerial photos, topographic maps, and use local
knowledge to add or delete areas from your initial map. It is usually
possible to distinguish dense sagebrush or to see mounds of taller,
denser sagebrush as a dotted or mottled pattern on aerial photos. Local
knowledge will help to eliminate burned areas that haven't regrown to
sagebrush- e.g. some large old fires in the very southwest corner of
Idaho are still vegetated with grass, but are included in the 2003 GIS
model because they burned more than 15 years ago (the parameter used in
the model). In Oregon, biologists have had success with flying over
sagebrush landscapes and identifying dense areas of sagebrush for future
ground surveys. You could combine surveys for sage grouse or big game
with surveys for pygmy rabbit habitat.

Rank the areas you identified at the large scale, and start surveys in
the most likely areas. These would be the largest blocks on the
sagebrush and soils map which weren't eliminated by your refinements,
areas surrounding past records, areas where aerial photos show mounds of
sagebrush as a dotted pattern (see example photo at end), where big and
low sagebrush are interspersed, and where there are swales of deep soils
and tall dense sage.

**Fine scale:** You will probably have to make the final choice of where
to walk a survey route while you are in the field, because the available
data are not at a fine enough scale to do this from a distance. While
you are driving to or in a chosen area, look for dense tall sage,
especially with a "lumpy" or uneven texture, as well as for signs of
digging. Sometimes, particularly where soils are light-colored or
contain white, lime-covered rocks thrown out by digging, the mounds of
freshly dug soil or white rocks are visible from the road. However, in
darker soils this is not true, and you have to walk to see burrows. When
a suitable area is spotted, stop and walk a survey route.

Your sampling scheme will be dictated by your particular circumstances,
both by how the potential habitat is distributed and by your
"person-power". Your planned survey intensity for each area will vary
with its priority, the size of the area you want to survey, and the
people available to do it. Depending on travel time and whether you are
finding burrows, (which will slow you down), you might expect to
complete about 3 to 7 miles of walking transects in a day. Conduct the
greatest amount of sampling in high priority areas, less sampling in
lower priority areas. Portion your survey efforts among your highest
priorities, with some sampling in lower priority habitat also, as a
check on your ability to target habitat.

*In snow:* Areas where pygmy rabbits are concentrated will attract
predators: coyote, badger, bobcat, and weasel. You can use their tracks
to help guide you to pygmy rabbit areas, and even to burrows.

**Patch scale:** While you are walking a survey route you should target
the tallest, densest patches of sage. These patches look like islands
that stand out above the rest.

***Survey Routes***

The goal of a survey route is to check enough habitat in an efficient
manner to determine whether pygmy rabbits are present or not, and
secondarily to get an index of density of burrows. The goal is not to
map out the total patch of habitat or to map every burrow within the
habitat. Therefore you will not be trying to walk the perimeter of the
population to map its extent, or to completely inventory the habitat,
because this can be very time-consuming. Mapping a polygon requires a
lot of walking to determine, first, whether rabbits are there, and their
extent, and then walk the whole perimeter to map it with a GPS unit. It
is simpler and faster to walk a meandering line through a habitat patch,
targeting the most likely looking places (instead of the edge), and then
continue on to the next swale or habitat patch, or loop back the other
side of the valley. If you map your route and record results well,
especially if you use a GPS unit, your survey route will be repeatable.

There are several advantages of recording burrow system locations with a
GPS unit as you walk a survey route, as opposed to just tallying them.
If you use the "repeat" feature (which fills out each new feature with
the data from the previous one, so you only have to change a few
things), it only takes a few seconds to record a burrow system as a
point using a GPS unit, and will not appreciably increase your survey
time. The advantages to having the data in this electronic form are
many. You can directly download the points to a GIS map and see the
pattern of distribution and density on the large scale. If you only
record your survey route, and not the burrow points, you will not be
able to easily see this pattern. Being able to see the points displayed
on a GIS map is useful for refining your understanding of small-to-large
scale distribution and habitat. Displaying the points on a background of
orthophotoquads will help you with interpreting habitat from aerial
photos, and will help you draw the extent of habitat patches on a
topographic map or aerial photo.

Recording burrow system locations is a more complete record for those
who come after you and want to repeat your work to determine changes
over time -- they will know exactly what you found where. For example,
on a 2-mile long survey route, you may have found clusters of burrows in
only a couple places. You can create a baseline for long-term monitoring
at the same time as doing an initial survey, because you have a
repeatable survey line along with very site-specific results. By
recording burrow points along your survey line you can determine the
whether the distribution of burrow complexes changes over time, which
will help us understand how to interpret old burrow complexes.

If you are alone, walk in a loop or triangle, targeting patches of
taller, denser sage, looking for pygmy rabbit burrows and pellets. The
goal of a looping or triangular route is to survey during all your
walking time, and to avoid walking without actually surveying. You may
walk through some unsuitable-looking sagebrush, but these data will be
useful for helping distinguish where the rabbits do not occur, and will
function as a check on your ability to target habitat. Using a topo map,
you should be able to design a route that takes you up one swale and
down another, or up and down two sides of a valley. In patchy habitat
and where patches are small and follow the contours of the land,
following the landforms and targeting the taller sagebrush clumps will
be most effective. This means your survey line will be meandering, not
straight.

If the habitat is uniform or on extensive flats, as in Nevada, straight
transect lines arranged in a triangle, or a spiral pattern may be
appropriate. For a spiral transect, walk directly to the center of a
large, dense sagebrush patch, and then spiral your way out, gradually
increasing the diameter of your circle until the habitat is no longer
appropriate. To fully check out a potential site often takes about one
hour of survey time (Eveline Sequin, pers. comm.).

Transect length should be dictated by the extent of the habitat patch,
road distribution, and the amount of overall habitat you have identified
to cover. Surveys in Idaho have shown that you will likely need to walk
at least ½ mile to check an area for presence of pygmy rabbits with any
degree of confidence, because of the distances between burrow systems,
unless you find burrows immediately.

With two people working together, one-way linear transects may work, by
"leapfrogging": one person is dropped off to begin a survey route, the
second drives ahead and starts another survey route; the first person
ends up at the truck and drives ahead to pick up the second. If two
people walk a survey route in tandem, the width each can cover will be
determined by the habitat, but may be on the order of 100 ft., or 50 ft
to each side. When two people are surveying together, each can
simultaneously sample opposite sides of the road when the road bisects
suitable habitat .

When you drive through unsuitable looking habitat within a generally
potential habitat area, stop occasionally and walk a short survey route,
as a check on your judgement of habitat, and record your transect
walked. Note why the habitat looks unsuitable. Remember that 'zeroes'
are as important to record as finding pygmy rabbit sign. These data will
be used to refine habitat models, and will let us know where to and
where not to focus management for pygmy rabbits.

Dogs and horses may be useful during surveys, if available. Dogs can let
you know when a burrow is inhabited (though not what animal it is), and
may flush rabbits. Horses can be used to survey more quickly than on
foot.

***Area search***

When you find several current burrows and you are inventorying a new
area, (or if you have not yet seen a pygmy rabbit in the area) take
about a half hour to search the area looking for pygmy rabbits. This
will help confirm whether you have pygmy rabbits, and will help you gain
confidence in your ability to distinguish pygmy rabbit sign. So far you
have had the search image for a burrow, and have been looking down. Now,
switch, get the search image for movement and rabbits, and walk slowly,
in widening circles around the active sites, looking ahead. Rabbits will
often slip quietly into the burrow as you approach, and you have to be
alert for the slight movement. Once you learn how to look for the actual
animal, you will begin to see them more (Dave Hays, pers com.).

Pygmy rabbits are easy to distinguish from mountain cottontails. When
running away, the white of a mountain cottontail tail is usually
visible. Pygmy rabbits do not have any white on their tail. Also, pygmy
rabbits seldom run as far as mountain cottontails. Pygmy rabbits will
scamper a short distance and stop, often under sagebrush plant or near a
burrow entrance.

## Seasonal Considerations

Surveys in Washington, Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon have shown considerable
variation in the amount of fresh sign at burrows over the course of a
year. During late summer and early fall pellets can be scarce at
burrows. Burrow complexes that had lots of sign in winter or spring may
appear almost deserted in late summer, with few pellets present, and
then appear repopulated later.

Pygmy rabbits may use burrows less in summer and fall. In the fall, in
SW Idaho, Ulmschneider found many burrows in big sagebrush islands on a
valley bottom, with a mix of old and a few brown pellets. Several
hundred yards away, under very dense tall sagebrush and bitterbrush on a
rocky side slope, lots of fresh small pellets and a pygmy rabbit were
observed, although no burrows were found right there. Rachlow (pers.
comm.) found a similar situation in the summer in Montana, where there
were lots of small pellets but no burrows in very tall sagebrush, and
lots of burrows with few pellets in a nearby area. Apparently pygmy
rabbits may abandon their burrows at that time of year in favor of dense
cover, perhaps due to parasites. Himes (pers. comm.) also observed pygmy
rabbit pellets without burrows in dense sage in Nevada in late summer.

In Nevada, Sequin (pers. comm.) has observed pygmy rabbits using certain
areas dominated by rabbitbrush only during the dryer part of the year,
late spring through fall. These areas have "loamier" soils that are much
wetter in winter. Burrows in these areas often disintegrate during the
winter, and there is no evidence of rabbits remaining in the area, by
tracks, photo monitoring, or sightings. New burrows are then excavated
in this habitat in spring. However, during all seasons, rabbits were
still found in the adjacent sagebrush-dominated areas.

Winter may be a better time of year to confirm rabbit presence than the
summer and fall. After a fresh light snow, fresh tracks and fresh
pellets are obvious. Also, rabbits clean out burrow entrances after a
snow, which helps identify occupied burrows. Pygmy tracks can often be
followed to a burrow entrance. Winter logistics can become difficult,
though, as snow deepens. Additionally, rabbits begin to burrow under the
snow as it deepens, and you may not see much sign on the surface.

When initial surveys are conducted in the summer, and if you find
possible or "old" pygmy rabbit sign, plan to return in late fall or
winter and check again. For monitoring known populations, the time of
the year should be consistent.

In the spring, rabbits appear to be active at their burrows; however,
pellets can be more confusing because pregnant females make larger
pellets that can be confused with cottontail.

**Recording data**

The basics to record are where and when you surveyed, whether you found
burrows and pellets or not, and burrow locations and status. If you did
find pygmy rabbit burrows, categorize, count them, and map them and your
survey route.

Classify the status of each pygmy rabbit burrow system (not each
entrance) according to the following system:

*[Used burrow plus fresh pellets (B+FP)]{.underline}*: brown pellets
near a burrow, at least one entrance open, without cobwebs or debris
that shows lack of use, usually shows a trail. In snow, tracks and/or
pellets visible.

*[Unused burrow plus fresh pellet (UB+FP)]{.underline}*: burrow
entrances have cobwebs, grass seeds, or other debris in entrance, but
with brown pellets. May show transitory use.

*[Burrow plus old pellets (B+OP)]{.underline}*: only grey pellets at a
burrow, entrances may show signs of non-use.

*[Burrow, no pellets (B)]{.underline}*: burrow entrance is not collapsed
but no pellets found. Also use this category for burrows in snow where
no tracks or pellets are visible.

*[Collapsed burrow (Col):]{.underline}* No pellets

*[Pellets only (P)]{.underline}*: No burrows found, but pellets appear
right for pygmy rabbit. (Collect and label.)

*[Fresh digging at a burrow but no pellets (B+dig):]{.underline}*
Digging may have been by a predator such as coyote or badger. If it was
a predator, it was most likely digging after prey, and the prey may have
been pygmy rabbit.

*[Possible PR burrow (Poss):]{.underline}* Burrow seems right for pygmy
rabbit, but there are confusing pellets or no pellets, or it is not in
association with other pygmy rabbit burrows (identified by pellets or
sightings).

There are several options for recording data, depending on the equipment
available: electronically with GPS units, paper data forms, topographic
maps, and aerial photos. With GPS units, one might think that it would
be easy to map a polygon delineating a pygmy rabbit population, instead
of walking a transect and mapping burrows. However, in the field one
soon finds that mapping polygons is difficult and complicated, unless
they are very small, and generally requires much more wandering about
than walking a transect through a habitat patch, as you try to determine
the extent of an often complicated population, exactly where the burrows
stop, and then try to walk the perimeter. Additionally, a transect with
burrow points added up along it will give you an index of burrow density
that can be measured in future years (most GPS units are accurate within
about 2 meters), which a polygon will not give you. If you try to do
both, you will greatly lose efficiency! The simplest way to delineate
the habitat is to draw the approximate extent of the habitat on a
topographic map or aerial photo, after you finish your transect.

1\. [GPS unit with a data dictionary (e.g., GeoExplorer 3): *note your
projection on a data sheet e.g., NAD 27.*]{.underline} (A "data
dictionary" is an electronic data form that can be filled out directly
into the GPS unit, and later downloaded directly to a computer. It can
be created to match the paper data form given at the end of this paper.)

With a Geo Explorer 3 or other GPS unit that has capability for a data
dictionary:

-   Record your survey route (where you walked) using a line feature.
    You can interrupt the line where you record a pygmy rabbit point
    (i.e., a burrow system), and then resume it afterwards.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Record each pygmy rabbit burrow system (not individual openings) as
    a point feature, using a pygmy rabbit data dictionary that includes
    the essential information on the data form at the end of this paper.
    Use the "repeat' feature, and when you become skilled, it will only
    take about 30 seconds to record a burrow. Burrow systems may be
    about 15 ft across. In areas with dense burrows, it may be difficult
    to decide when to record a new burrow system. One rule of thumb is
    to record a new burrow system at least 30 ft apart (however they can
    be much denser than that; in Montana, Rauscher \[1997\] found an
    area with 8 burrow systems within 30 m).

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Take daily field notes of where you surveyed for the day, habitat,
    numbers of burrows in each status category, extent of habitat, why
    you thought they were or weren't from pygmy rabbits, general
    findings (no sign, old sign, lots of current sign, other critters),
    any other notes that would help someone else determine where you
    looked, what you found, and the validity of what you found. Remember
    that it is possible to lose GPS data, and that general notes are
    often extremely useful in interpreting the data! Remember zeroes are
    important to record and discuss!

-   Map your survey areas on a topographic map or aerial photo, with
    date, your name, and a key to any symbols used.

-   When finding pygmy rabbit sign in a new area, take samples of
    droppings and label each container with date, location, and your
    name (film canisters work well, or plastic zip bags).

-   Take photos of burrows, landscape setting, and any other sign
    (tracks, trails, bones, pellets). Label your photos with date,
    location (Township, Range, Section and ¼ sections), your name, and
    what it shows.

-   Also mark your driving routes on the maps, when you are within a
    search area and looking for target habitat to do foot surveys.

2\. [GPS unit without a data dictionary:]{.underline}

-   Record your survey route using a line feature and pygmy rabbit
    burrow systems using a point feature, as above.

-   Use the paper data form to record the necessary information.

-   Collect pellets and take photos as above.

-   Mark your survey areas on a topographic map or aerial photos, with
    date, your name, and general findings.

-   Also mark your driving routes on the maps.

3\. [No GPS unit (or GPS unit with a dead battery!)]{.underline}

-   Use aerial photos and/or topographic maps to record locations of any
    burrow systems found and of your survey route. Label each map and
    photo with "Pygmy Rabbit Survey," dates, your name, and a key to
    burrow classification and survey routes.

-   Alternatively, if burrows are too dense or difficult to map
    separately, map out your survey route and the area where burrows are
    found.

-   Keep a tally of burrow systems in each category as you walk a
    transect within the area delineated (see data sheet). Also mark your
    driving routes on the maps.

# 

**Other Methods**

***Traps***

Trapping is not effective for general surveys. It may be useful once you
know where you have the right burrows for further study or to confirm
presence. Even in areas with known dense populations of pygmy rabbits,
and putting traps right in the entrances of burrows that show fresh
activity, trapping success rates are low (0-4%). Burrows are always
there and usually distinctive, and therefore are more useful for general
surveys.

***Camera with automatic trigger (from Eveline Sequin)***

Cameras can be used to determine if pygmy rabbits are currently active
in an area. Photographs provide direct and convincing evidence that
rabbits are present and provide a permanent record. Once burrows are
located, or unconfirmed sightings are reported, cameras can be left at
the site with minimal human attention to collect the required data.
Cameras are able to visually detect pygmy rabbits at locations where
other survey methods do not detect them, and may be especially helpful
in the spring when the potential presence of other young rabbits may
confuse pellet surveys.

Equipment for an "active" camera set-up consists of a camera connected
to an infrared beam unit (sender and receiver) that triggers the camera
when the beam is interrupted. These infrared units are sold as burglar
alarms for modest prices at electronic stores such as Radio Shack^^.
"Passive" camera setups are triggered by a motion or heat sensor. Active
infrared cameras have proven to be more cost effective than passive
cameras because they can easily be set in vegetated areas without being
triggered by the surrounding moving vegetation.

First a site inspection should be conducted by walking around the area
looking for burrowing activity, animals and fresh pellets. Next, set up
one active infrared-triggered camera in a central location (near burrows
if they have been located). Cameras can be set either across the
entrance of an active burrow, or across an open area nearby. The
receiver should be set to trigger the camera if the infrared beam is
blocked for 0.5 seconds (1 infrared pulse, or the minimum amount of
pulses the unit will allow). To make the camera units even more
sensitive, reduce the width of the infrared lens to 1 mm with black
electrical tape. This combination of settings is responsive enough to
capture full body images of rabbits even when they are surprised by the
flash or noise. Set the transmitter about 2-4m from the receiver and
camera allowing plenty of area for rabbits to travel between the two
units. The beam should be set at a height of approximately 5 cm. Set a
camera delay of 1 or 2 minutes so that one animal will not use up the
entire roll of film. Use 100 or 200 ASA film, and set the cameras to be
active 24 hours a day. In locations where pygmy rabbits are known to be
active, it was shown that cameras were usually able to record their
presence over the course of one week. Depending on the site and the
season, the roll of film will be used up in a few days or over the span
of a week. In winter, snow may trigger the camera and use all film in an
hour.

It is possible to distinguish pygmy rabbits from other rabbits (juvenile
jackrabbits, cottontails) using this method. Adult pygmy rabbits can be
distinguished reliably by their tails, heads, ear shape, and size in
relation to camera equipment. Juvenile cottontails and jackrabbits can
be distinguished by tails, head and ear shape, and coloration.
Individual rabbits are generally photographed multiple times at one
camera location. Therefore, even if not every photograph is entirely
conclusive, the multiple angles of single individuals allow for
conclusive evidence. If for some reason only one questionable photograph
is received, the camera can always be set out for another week.
Comparison photos of rabbit species by Eveline Sequin may be viewed at
www.wildlife.utah.gov/habitat.

***Spotlighting***

It is possible to see pygmy rabbits by spotlighting at night; however,
it is not as effective or efficient as looking for burrows. Burrows are
permanent and easy to spot once you know what to look for, and you can
look for them in the day. Spotlighting may be useful for confirming
presence by seeing a rabbit once you find an area with burrows, however,
the daytime area searches described above are probably more practical.
Rauscher reports, "I attempted to spotlight pygmy rabbits in an area I
knew to have a relatively high density of rabbits. I only saw 2 pygmy
rabbits. This method is not very effective."

***Peeper Probe***

This is a flexible cable with an infrared camera on the end, allowing
you to look down a burrow. It may be useful, once you have found
burrows, in spotting a rabbit or helping to identify what species dug a
burrow in questionable cases. You may be able to figure out how to
distinguish the underground features of pygmy rabbit burrows versus
other burrows. Rauscher in Montana has used these probes in known
occupied sites, and was able to see pygmy rabbits; however, he thinks
that it is probably not too useful or effective for general surveys. The
peeper probe may be useful for some aspects of demographic studies, such
as looking into natal dens (J. Rachlow, pers. comm.) Females apparently
dig single, simple burrows for giving birth, and fill the entrance with
dirt, so these burrows may be hard to find.

***Inquire of Locals; Check Hunting Records***

Ask hunters or ranchers who have bagged or claim to have seen pygmy
rabbits. On all state-owned Wildlife Management Areas that permit
hunting, hunters are required to fill out and submit a card afterwards
that indicates their kill to the respective state wildlife agency, which
would be an additional way of determining potential sites to survey for
pygmy rabbits

***Track Plots***

To determine presence of pygmy rabbits near a burrow, lay aluminum
tracking sheets on the ground or make cleared track plots, and cover
them with a thin layer of fine dust to record tracks.

**Literature Cited**

Gabler, K.I., J.W. Laundre and L.T. Heady. 2000. Predicting the
suitability of habitat in southeast Idaho for pygmy rabbits. J. Wildl.
Manage. 64(3): 759-764.

Green, J.S. and J.T. Flinders. 1980. *Brachylagus idahoensis.* Mammalian
Species No. 125: 1-4.

Forrest, L.R. 1988. Field Guide to Tracking Animals in Snow. Stackpole
Books, Harrisburg, PA. 193 pp.

Katzner, T.E. 1994. Winter ecology of the pygmy rabbit (*Brachylagus
idahoensis)* in Wyoming. M.S. thesis, Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie.

Rachlow, J. and L. Svancara. 2003. Pygmy Rabbit Habitat in Idaho.
Project Completion Report, Challenge Cost Share, Univ. Idaho, Moscow,
ID. 28 pp.

Rauscher, R. 1997. Status and distribution of the pygmy rabbit in
Montana. Final Report, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. 19 pp.

Roberts, H. B. 2001. Survey of pygmy rabbit distribution, numbers, and
habitat use in Lemhi and Custer Counties, Idaho. Tech. Bull No. 01-11,
ID Bur. Land Mgmt.

Simons, E. and J. Laundre. 2001. Predicting suitable habitat for the
pygmy rabbit (*Brachylagus idahoensis)* using a Geographic Information
System. Project Completion Report, Challenge Cost Share, Idaho State
Univ., Pocatello, ID. 13 pp.

**Appendix A. Persons** **Knowledgeable about Pygmy Rabbits**

**California**

Pat Lauridson, CA Dept. Fish and Game, Sacramento CA
plauridson@dfg.ca.gov

Donald Armentrout, BLM, Susanville CA darmentr@ca.blm.gov

Patrick Kelley, CA State Univ., Stanislaus CA patrickk@esrp.csustan.edu

**Idaho**

Hadley Roberts, retired FS, Salmon ID hroberts@ida.net

Helen Ulmschneider, BLM, Boise ID helen_ulmschneider@blm.gov

Janet Rachlow, Univ. of Idaho., Moscow ID jrachlow@uidaho.edu

Peggy Bartels, BLM, Burley ID peggy_bartels@blm.gov

Vince Guyer, BLM, Salmon ID vincent_guyer@blm.gov

**Montana**

Ryan Rauscher, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Missoula MT
rauscher@montana.edu

**Nevada**

Eveline Sequin, Univ. Nevada Reno, Reno NV esequin@unr.nevada.edu

John Himes, TX Parks and Wildlife Dept., Tennessee Colony TX
johnhimes@direcway.com

**Oregon**

Todd Forbes, BLM, Lakeview OR todd_forbes@blm.gov

**Utah**

Adam Kozlowski, UT Div. of Wildlife Resources, Ogden, UT
adamkozlowski@utah.gov

**Washington**

Dave Hays, WA Dept. Fish and Wildlife, Olympia WA haysdwh@dfw.wa.gov

### Wyoming 

Doug Keinath, Nat. Diversity Database, Laramie WY dkeinath@uwyo.edu

Todd Katzner, Imperial College, London, England t.katzner@imperial.ac.uk

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<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 1%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="77"><p id="pygmy-rabbit-survey-form"
class="heading"><strong>PYGMY RABBIT SURVEY FORM</strong></p></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="4">Observer(s):</td>
<td colspan="50">     </td>
<td colspan="12">Affiliation:</td>
<td colspan="11">     </td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="2">Address:</td>
<td colspan="57">     </td>
<td colspan="7">Phone:</td>
<td colspan="11">     </td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="7">Observation Date:</td>
<td colspan="7">     </td>
<td colspan="10">Site Name:</td>
<td colspan="14">     </td>
<td colspan="5">Co.:</td>
<td colspan="9"></td>
<td colspan="8">State:</td>
<td colspan="8"></td>
<td colspan="5">Site #:</td>
<td colspan="4"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="3">Township:</td>
<td colspan="5">     </td>
<td colspan="5">Range:</td>
<td colspan="9">     </td>
<td colspan="6">Meridian:</td>
<td colspan="7">     </td>
<td colspan="11">Section:</td>
<td colspan="3">     </td>
<td colspan="15">Quarter/Quarter:</td>
<td colspan="5">     </td>
<td colspan="6">of Quarter:</td>
<td colspan="2">     </td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="10">Project / Transect ID #:</td>
<td colspan="32">     </td>
<td colspan="9">Field Map ID:</td>
<td colspan="26">     </td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="6">Survey Method:</td>
<td colspan="34">     </td>
<td colspan="10">Search Time:</td>
<td colspan="5">Start:</td>
<td colspan="12">     </td>
<td colspan="4">Stop:</td>
<td colspan="6">     </td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="77"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="77"><strong>GPS Data</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td colspan="4">Projection:</td>
<td colspan="14">Decimal Degrees</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="14">Decimal Minutes</td>
<td colspan="7"></td>
<td colspan="19">Degrees/Minutes/Seconds</td>
<td colspan="2"></td>
<td colspan="10">UTM Zone: 10</td>
<td colspan="2"></td>
<td colspan="2">11</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td colspan="5">Datum:</td>
<td colspan="6">NAD27</td>
<td colspan="3"></td>
<td colspan="11">NAD83</td>
<td colspan="6"></td>
<td colspan="13">WGS84</td>
<td colspan="32"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td colspan="5">Coordinates: Starting point</td>
<td colspan="5">Easting</td>
<td colspan="16">     </td>
<td colspan="9">Northing</td>
<td colspan="18">     </td>
<td colspan="11">Elevation</td>
<td colspan="12"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td colspan="5">Accuracy:</td>
<td colspan="5">PDOP</td>
<td colspan="8">     </td>
<td colspan="6">FOM</td>
<td colspan="5">     </td>
<td colspan="7">+/-</td>
<td colspan="11">     </td>
<td colspan="5">Feet</td>
<td colspan="4"></td>
<td colspan="6">Meters</td>
<td colspan="14"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="77"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="9"><strong>Land Ownership:</strong></td>
<td colspan="9">State</td>
<td colspan="3"></td>
<td colspan="8">BLM</td>
<td colspan="2"></td>
<td colspan="13">USFS</td>
<td colspan="3"></td>
<td colspan="11">USFWS</td>
<td colspan="3"></td>
<td colspan="9">Private*</td>
<td colspan="7"> (state below)</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="9"></td>
<td colspan="9">Tribal</td>
<td colspan="3"></td>
<td colspan="8">Military</td>
<td colspan="4"></td>
<td colspan="11">Nat. Park</td>
<td colspan="3"></td>
<td colspan="9">Other:</td>
<td colspan="21"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="21">*Private landowner / Address / Phone:</td>
<td colspan="56">     </td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="77"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="16"><strong>Potential Threats to Area:</strong></td>
<td colspan="48">Agriculture Fire Development Grazing OHV None</td>
<td colspan="5">Other:</td>
<td colspan="8"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="77"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="39"><strong>Summary of Results for Survey
Route</strong></td>
<td colspan="38">Pellets collected? Yes No </td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="23">Pygmy rabbit observed? Yes No </td>
<td colspan="54">Pygmy Rabbit sign observed? Yes No Possible burrows
Possible Pellets </td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="17">Summary of numbers of burrows</td>
<td colspan="60">B+FP: _ B+OP: B: _ _ UB+FP: Col: _ _ B+dig:__ FP alone:
_ ____</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="17">Length of survey route</td>
<td colspan="60">Miles: Feet: Meters:</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="17">Predators (T- tracks, S–scat, V-visual)</td>
<td colspan="60"><p>Coyote T S V Fox T S V Badger T S V Weasel T S V
Bobcat T S V</p>
<p>Raptor T S V Other</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

**Notes.** *Provide directions, describe landscape setting, note other
animals, explain why if no pygmy rabbits were found, describe behavior
of any pygmy rabbits seen, etc.*

CODES FOR DATA

+---------+---------+----+-----+----+----+-------+------+-----------+
| *       | **B+FP  | ** | **B | ** | *  | **    | **FP | **Poss**  |
| *Burrow | --**    | B+ | -   | UB | *C | B+dig | --** |           |
| S       | used    | OP | -** | +  | ol | --**  | f    | Possible  |
| tatus** | burrow  | ** | o   | FP | -- | bu    | resh | PR burrow |
|         | plus    | -- | pen | ** | ** | rrow, | pel  |           |
|         | brown,  | bu | b   |    | c  | fresh | lets |           |
|         | green,  | rr | urr | Un | ol | dig   | a    |           |
|         | or      | ow | ow, | us | la | ging, | lone |           |
|         | black   | pl | no  | ed | ps | no    |      |           |
|         | pellets | us | p   | b  | ed | pe    |      |           |
|         |         | gr | ell | ur | bu | llets |      |           |
|         |         | ey | ets | ro | rr |       |      |           |
|         |         | p  |     | w, | ow |       |      |           |
|         |         | el |     | f  |    |       |      |           |
|         |         | le |     | re |    |       |      |           |
|         |         | ts |     | sh |    |       |      |           |
|         |         |    |     | p  |    |       |      |           |
|         |         |    |     | el |    |       |      |           |
|         |         |    |     | le |    |       |      |           |
|         |         |    |     | ts |    |       |      |           |
+---------+---------+----+-----+----+----+-------+------+-----------+
| *       | **T**   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| *Burrow | --Clean |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| De      | trail   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| tails** | **O**   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | -- Open |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **Col** |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | --      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | Co      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | llapsed |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | *       |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | *Deb**- |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | Debris  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | filled  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | Dig** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | Fresh   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | digging |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         |         |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **TS**  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | --      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | tracks  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | in snow |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **US**  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | --      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | Un      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | tracked |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | snow    |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **B** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | At base |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | of bush |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **R** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | At base |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | of rock |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **E**-- |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | E       |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | nlarged |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | by      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | p       |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | redator |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
+---------+---------+----+-----+----+----+-------+------+-----------+
| *       | **H     |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| *Pellet | --**    |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| Qua     | hi      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| ntity** | gh**,** |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | lots, a |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | carpet  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **M     |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | --**    |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | m       |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | oderate |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **F-**  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | few     |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
+---------+---------+----+-----+----+----+-------+------+-----------+
| *       | **L** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| *Soil** | Loam    |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **S** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | sand    |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **C** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | Clay    |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **G -** |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | G       |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | ravelly |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **R** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | Rocky   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
+---------+---------+----+-----+----+----+-------+------+-----------+
| *       | **S     |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| *Canopy | --**    |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| Cover** | shrubs  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **F -** |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| (20 ft  | Forbs   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| radius) | **G**   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | --      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | grass   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **B** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | bare    |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | ground  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         |         |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **0**   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | --(0 -- |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | Trace)  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **1** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | (1-10%) |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **2 -** |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | (       |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | 11-25%) |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **3 -** |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | (       |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | 26-50%) |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **4** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | (       |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | 51-75%) |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **5**   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | --      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | (       |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | 76-100% |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
+---------+---------+----+-----+----+----+-------+------+-----------+
| **      | **0** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| Grazing | None    |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| use     | **1** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
| level** | slight  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **2** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | light   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **3** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | m       |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | oderate |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **4** - |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | heavy   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | **5**   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | --      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | severe  |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | *Use    |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | descr   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | iptions |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | from    |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | BLM's   |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | La      |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | ndscape |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | App     |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | earance |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
|         | Method* |    |     |    |    |       |      |           |
+---------+---------+----+-----+----+----+-------+------+-----------+

<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 5%" />
<col style="width: 11%" />
<col style="width: 13%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 5%" />
<col style="width: 5%" />
<col style="width: 5%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 23%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td rowspan="2"><blockquote>
<p><strong>Burrow #</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td rowspan="2"><p><strong>UTM</strong></p>
<p><strong>Easting</strong></p></td>
<td rowspan="2"><p><strong>UTM</strong></p>
<p><strong>Northing</strong></p></td>
<td rowspan="2"><blockquote>
<p><strong>Status</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td rowspan="2"><blockquote>
<p><strong>Burrow details</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td rowspan="2"><blockquote>
<p><strong>Pellets</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td rowspan="2"><blockquote>
<p><strong>Soil</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td colspan="4"><strong>Canopy Cover</strong></td>
<td rowspan="2"><blockquote>
<p><strong>Grass Use levels</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td rowspan="2"><blockquote>
<p><strong>Pygmy rab seen</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td rowspan="2"><blockquote>
<p><strong># of entrances</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td rowspan="2"><strong>Comments</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>Shrub</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>Grass</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>Forbs</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>Bare</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
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</table>

**BLM's Landscape Appearance Method for classifying Grazing Use Level:**

1.  **None** (0-5 %). The rangeland shows no evidence of grazing use; or
    the rangeland has the appearance of negligible grazing.

2.  **Slight** (6-20%). The rangeland has the appearance of very light
    grazing. The key herbaceous forage plants may be topped or slightly
    used. Current seedstalks and young plants of key herbaceous species
    are little disturbed.

3.  **Light** (21-40%). The rangeland may be topped, skimmed, or grazed
    in patches. The low value herbaceous plants are ungrazed and 60 to
    80 % of the number of current seedstalks of key herbaceous plants
    remain intact. Most ground plants are undamaged.

4.  **Moderate** (41-60%). The rangeland appears entirely covered as
    uniformly as natural features and facilities will allow. Fifteen to
    20 % of the number of current seedstalks of key herbaceous species
    remains intact. No more than 10 % of the number of low value
    herbaceous forage plants are utilized. (Moderate use does not imply
    proper use.)

5.  **Heavy** (61-80%). The rangeland has the appearance of complete
    search. Key herbaceous species are almost completely utilized with
    less than 10 % of the current seedstalks remaining. Shoots of
    rhizomatous grasses are missing. More than 10 % of the number of low
    value herbaceous forage plants have been utilized.

6.  **Severe** (81-100%). The rangeland has a mown appearance and there
    are indications of repeated coverage. There is no evidence of
    reproduction or current seedstalks of key herbaceous species. Key
    herbaceous forage species are completely utilized. The remaining
    stubble of preferred grasses is grazed to the soil surface.

> **Pygmy Rabbit Summary Sheet**
>
> **Burrows**

-   5-10 inches in diameter

-   Placed under sagebrush

-   In relatively tall dense sage

> **Pellets**

  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------
  **Pygmy Rabbit**        **Cottontail**          **Jackrabbit**

  4-6 mm -- in carpets    6-10 mm                 9-12 mm
  near burrow is                                  
  diagnostic                                      
  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

> **Tracks -- length of hind foot**

  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------
  **Pygmy Rabbit**        **Cottontail**          **Jackrabbit**

  46-71 mm                77-90 mm                90-103 mm
  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

> **Visual**

+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| **Pygmy Rabbit**      | **Cottontail**        | **Jackrabbit**        |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| Brown tail            | White tail, obvious   | Black-tipped tail     |
|                       | from rear             | (blacktail) or        |
| Ears 2 1/4 -- 2 1/2   |                       | whitish tail          |
| in, about length of   | Ears 2 1/5 -- 2 3/5   | (whitetail)           |
| head                  | in, about length of   |                       |
|                       | head                  | Ears 5-7 in, way      |
| Won't run far,        |                       | longer than head, and |
| zigzags, often stops  | Bolts fast and far    | black tipped          |
| at sagebrush or       |                       |                       |
| burrow                | Medium -- 12-14 in    | Bolts fast and far    |
|                       |                       |                       |
| Small -- 8 1/2-11 in  |                       | Large -- 17-21 in     |
|                       |                       | Blacktail;            |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 18-22 in Whitetail.   |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+