Rabbits, Hares and Pikas Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan
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Behavior and Ecology of the Riparian Brush Rabbit at the San Joaquin
BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY OF THE RIPARIAN BRUSH RABBIT AT THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AS DETERMINED BY CAMERA TRAPS A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, Stanislaus In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Ecology and Sustainability By Celia M. Tarcha May 2020 CERTIFICATION OF APPROVAL BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY OF THE RIPARIAN BRUSH RABBIT AT THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AS DETERMINED BY CAMERA TRAPS By Celia M. Tarcha Signed Certification of Approval page is on file with the University Library Dr. Patrick A. Kelly Date Professor of Zoology Dr. Michael P. Fleming Date Associate Professor of Biology Education Dr. Marina M. Gerson Date Professor of Zoology Matthew R. Lloyd Date U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service © 2020 Celia M. Tarcha ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DEDICATION For my family, living and departed, who first introduced me to wildlife and appreciating inconspicuous beauty. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my deepest gratitude to my committee members, Matt Lloyd, Dr. Fleming, Dr. Gerson, and Dr. Kelly, for their time and effort towards perfecting this project. I would also like to thank Eric Hopson, refuge manager of San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge for his insight and field support. Thank you as well to refuge biologists Fumika Takahashi and Kathryn Heffernan for their field surveys and reports. Additional thanks to Camera Bits Inc. for their donation of the Photomechanic license. I would like to thank the CSU Stanislaus Department of Biological Sciences for their help and support. Thank you to Bernadette Paul of the Endangered Species Recovery Program for her equipment management and support. -
For the Riparian Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus Bachmani Riparius)
CONTROLLED PROPAGATION AND REINTRODUCTION PLAN FOR THE RIPARIAN BRUSH RABBIT (SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI RIPARIUS) Ó B. Moose Peterson, Wildlife Research Photography by DANIEL F. WILLIAMS, PATRICK A. KELLY, AND LAURISSA P. HAMILTON ENDANGERED SPECIES RECOVERY PROGRAM CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, STANISLAUS TURLOCK, CA 95382 6 JULY 2002 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY We present a plan for controlled propagation and reintroduction of riparian brush rab- bits (Sylvilagus bachmani riparius), a necessary set of tasks for its recovery, as called for in the Recovery Plan for Upland Species of the San Joaquin Valley, California1. This controlled propagation and reintroduction plan follows the criteria and recommendations of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Policy Regarding Controlled Propagation of Spe- cies Listed under the Endangered Species Act2. It is organized along the lines recom- mended in the draft version of that policy and meets the criteria of the final policy. It should be viewed in an adaptive management context in that as events unfold, unexpected changes and new information will require modifications. Modifications will be appended to this document. Controlled Propagation is necessary for the riparian brush rabbit 1) to provide a source of individuals for reintroduction to restored habitat for establishing new, self- sustaining populations, 2) to augment existing populations if needed, 3) and to ensure the prevention of extinction of the species in the wild. We propose to establish three breed- ing colonies in separate enclosures of 1.2-1.4 acres each. Predator-resistant enclosures will be erected around existing, but unoccupied natural habitat for brush rabbits. Enclo- sures will be located on State land surrounded by irrigated agriculture that provides no habitat for brush rabbits. -
No.11: U (=Usagi) (A Rabbit)
Column Kijimun’s Monologue - Series of the Oriental Zodiac – No.11: U (=Usagi) (a rabbit) Keywords: a rabbit, a story of a rabbit and a tortoise, Amami no kuro usagi (Amami rabbit, Pentalagus furnessi) Haisai&Haitai, Kijimun yaibīn! (Hi, I’m Kijimun!) It has been cold these days, take care not to catch a cold! In this month, I’m going to talk about “a rabbit” which is the 4th animal of the Oriental Zodiac. The Kanji (Chinese character) of “卯” indicates between 5 and 7 a.m., as a direction, it indicates East. This kanji is pronounced as “U” by Kun-yomi (Japanese reading of character), but it is pronounced as “Bou” by On-yomi (Chinese reading of character), and it shows the condition in which trees and grass grow densely. The Kanji of “兔” means an animal, a rabbit. Well, do you know the famous story of a rabbit and a tortoise? The Okinawan version is a little bit different… ● A rabbit and a tortoise One day, on a hilltop, a rabbit and a tortoise came to race with each other. The rabbit started hopping with the signal of “Ready, go!” On the other hand, the tortoise began to pull its head and limbs entirely into its shell; then it tumbled down a mountainside. The rabbit struggled for winning, but the rolling tortoise has finally defeated. The rabbit, the loser said to the tortoise, the winner, “You are “Mutsu kakushi mono (Mutsu means six, kakushi means hide and mono means a person),” as you bury all your head, four limbs and the tail in your shell.” It is said that the Japanese word “Mutsukashii(=Muzukashii) mono (= a difficult person)” derived from this word, “Mutsu kakushi mono.” (①) In Japan, the story of a rabbit and a tortoise is that a swift-footed rabbit lost its sharpness and was beaten by the tortoise which plugged away for winning. -
Camouflage in the Arctic
24 1 Characters 2 23 22 3 4 21 Learning from Arctic Animals Adapting to Freezing Temperatures Most people are familiar with a green and brown camouflage The animals of the Arctic Circle adapt, or change, to pattern. But did you know the US Marine Corps developed a survive the cold, harsh winters. When the SNOW camouflage pattern to wear in snowy regions of the world? temperatures drop and snow falls, many animals in The pattern is called Disruptive Overwhite. It has a white the Arctic must change their summer fur to a winter background with gray digital shapes on nylon fabric. In addition, the nylon is lightweight, blocks wind, and repels the rain or snow. coat. Their food choices also change depending on The garments, such as shirts, pants, and jackets, do more than what is available in the snow-covered tundra, the assist with camouflage. In fact, they also help keep a person’s coldest of all habitats on Earth. body temperature comfortable with special features such as zippers, flaps, or drawstrings. Today, people can purchase these garments in many stores all over the world. 20 5 Changing Colors with the Seasons The fur of some Arctic animals changes from the woodland colors of the fall to pure white like winter snow. If they kept their woodland colors, these Arctic animals would stand out in the white snow and they would be unprotected. So, their fur must change to white. As a result, the animals can hide in the snow from their enemies and search safely for food. -
2011 COLUMBIA BASIN PYGMY RABBIT REINTRODUCTION and GENETIC MANAGEMENT PLAN Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
2011 COLUMBIA BASIN PYGMY RABBIT REINTRODUCTION AND GENETIC MANAGEMENT PLAN Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Addendum to Washington State Recovery Plan for the Pygmy Rabbit (1995) Penny A. Becker, David W. Hays & Rodney D. Sayler EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This plan addresses the recovery strategy for the federal and state endangered Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) in shrub-steppe habitat of central Washington. It is a consolidated update of the 2010 genetic management plan and the 2007 reintroduction plan for the pygmy rabbit. Technical background for the plan, covering the history, biology, and ecology of pygmy rabbits, has been reviewed extensively in a 5-Year Status Review (USFWS 2010) and an amendment to the federal Draft Recovery Plan (USFWS 2011) for the Columbia Basin distinct population segment of the pygmy rabbit. Currently, there are no wild pygmy rabbit populations known to occur in Washington’s Columbia Basin. As a result, the recovery strategy relies on the reintroduction of captive-bred pygmy rabbits originating from the joint captive population maintained since 2001 at Northwest Trek, Oregon Zoo, and Washington State University, in conjunction with the release of wild pygmy rabbits captured from other populations within the species’ historic distribution. The reintroduction plan was formulated with information gleaned from studies of pygmy rabbits in the wild, results of the 2002-04 pilot-scale reintroductions in southeastern Idaho, results of a trial 2007 release of animals into Washington, and comparable reintroduction efforts for other endangered species. Beginning in the spring of 2011, pygmy rabbits were reintroduced at Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area. -
Faunal Remains
CHAPTER 13 FAUNAL REMAINS Judi L. Cameron, Consultant, Jennifer A. Waters, Desert Archaeology, Inc., Barnet Pavao-Zuckerman and Vince M. LaMotta, Arizona State Museum, and Peter D. Schulz, University of California at Davis Large numbers of animal bones were found dur- environmental modification (such as caliche-coating ing the Rio Nuevo Archaeology project. Analysts and root-etching) on each bone also was noted. examined a sample of the bones to determine how Taxonomic identifications were based on com- humans utilized animals over the course of the last parisons with a comparative collection, as well as 4,000 years. Cameron studied animal bone from Early with the aid of published keys (for mammal bones, Agricultural, Early Ceramic, and Hohokam contexts, Gilbert 1980; Olsen 1964; for bird bones, Cohen and while Waters identified bone recovered from the Serjeantson 1996; Gilbert et al. 1981; Olsen 1979). Tucson Presidio, AZ BB:13:13 (ASM), and from a Taxonomic information on fragments that could not Chinese gardeners’ well at the San Agustín Mission be identified to order or below consisted primarily locus of the Clearwater site, AZ BB:13:6 (ASM). of the definition of size categories within classes. The Pavao-Zuckerman and LaMotta analyzed bone from size categories for mammals were defined as follows: Pima features at the San Agustín Mission locus, Clear- small mammal fragments were woodrat- to rabbit- water site, and Schulz identified the fish bone recov- sized, medium mammal fragments were bobcat-/ ered from the Chinese gardener’s well. canid-sized, and large mammal fragments were deer-sized. Elements that fell in size between canid and jackrabbit were placed in a medium-small mam- FAUNAL REMAINS FROM PREHISTORIC mal category. -
The State of Lagomorphs Today
HOUSE RABBIT JOURNAL The publication for members of the international House Rabbit Society Winter 2016 The State of Lagomorphs Today by Margo DeMello, PhD Make Mine Chocolate™ Turns 15 by Susan Mangold and Terri Cook Advocating For Rabbits by Iris Klimczuk Fly Strike (Myiasis) in Rabbits by Stacie Grannum, DVM $4.99 CONTENTS HOUSE RABBIT JOURNAL Winter 2016 Contributing Editors Amy Bremers Shana Abé Maureen O’Neill Nancy Montgomery Linda Cook The State of Lagomorphs Today p. 4 Sandi Martin by Margo DeMello, PhD Rebecca Clawson Designer/Editor Sandy Parshall Veterinary Review Linda Siperstein, DVM Executive Director Anne Martin, PhD Board of Directors Marinell Harriman, Founder and Chair Margo DeMello, President Mary Cotter, Vice President Joy Gioia, Treasurer Beth Woolbright, Secretary Dana Krempels Laurie Gigous Kathleen Wilsbach Dawn Sailer Bill Velasquez Judith Pierce Edie Sayeg Nancy Ainsworth House Rabbit Society is a 501c3 and its publication, House Rabbit Journal, is published at 148 Broadway, Richmond, CA 94804. Photograph by Tom Young HRJ is copyright protected and its contents may not be republished without written permission. The Bunny Who Started It All p. 7 by Nareeya Nalivka Goldie is adoptable at House Rabbit Society International Headquarters in Richmond, CA. rabbitcenter.org/adopt Make Mine Chocolate™ Turns 15 p. 8 by Susan Mangold and Terri Cook Cover photo by Sandy Parshall, HRS Program Manager Bella’s Wish p. 9 by Maurice Liang Advocating For Rabbits p. 10 by Iris Klimczuk From Grief to Grace: Maurice, Miss Bean, and Bella p. 12 by Chelsea Eng Fly Strike (Myiasis) in Rabbits p. 13 by Stacie Grannum, DVM The Transpacifi c Bunny p. -
Revised Distribution of an Alaskan Endemic, the Alaska Hare (Lepus Othus), with Implications for Taxonomy, Biogeography, and Climate Change
50 ARTICLE Revised distribution of an Alaskan endemic, the Alaska Hare (Lepus othus), with implications for taxonomy, biogeography, and climate change Michelle M. Cason, Andrew P. Baltensperger, Travis L. Booms, John J. Burns, and Link E. Olson Abstract: The Alaska Hare (Lepus othus Merriam 1900) is the largest lagomorph in North America but remains one of the most poorly studied terrestrial mammals on the con- tinent. Its current distribution is restricted to western Alaska south of the Brooks Range, but historical accounts from north of the Brooks Range (the North Slope) have led to confusion over its past, present, and predicted future distributions. To determine if L. othus occurs or historically occurred on the North Slope, we surveyed museum collections, vetted observa- tional accounts, and produced a spatial distribution model based on the resulting georefer- enced records. We located a historic specimen long presumed lost that suggests the occurrence of L. othus on the North Slope as recently as the late 1800s. We also uncovered evidence of L. othus and (or) Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus Linnaeus 1758) on several islands in the Bering Sea, raising the possibility of recurring gene flow between these closely related species across seasonal ice connecting Asia and North America. While our results paint a more complete picture of the current distribution of L. othus, persistent uncertainties surrounding its taxonomic status and potential northward range shift onto lands reserved for oil and gas development call for additional study. For personal use only. Key words: Alaska Hare, Arctic Hare, Lepus othus, Mountain Hare, North Slope. Résumé : Le lièvre d’Alaska (Lepus othus Merriam 1900) est le plus grand lagomorphe en Amérique du Nord mais il demeure un des mammifères terrestres du continent qui n’a aiment pas fait l’objet d’études. -
Mammal Watching in Northern Mexico Vladimir Dinets
Mammal watching in Northern Mexico Vladimir Dinets Seldom visited by mammal watchers, Northern Mexico is a fascinating part of the world with a diverse mammal fauna. In addition to its many endemics, many North American species are easier to see here than in USA, while some tropical ones can be seen in unusual habitats. I travelled there a lot (having lived just across the border for a few years), but only managed to visit a small fraction of the number of places worth exploring. Many generations of mammologists from USA and Mexico have worked there, but the knowledge of local mammals is still a bit sketchy, and new discoveries will certainly be made. All information below is from my trips in 2003-2005. The main roads are better and less traffic-choked than in other parts of the country, but the distances are greater, so any traveler should be mindful of fuel (expensive) and highway tolls (sometimes ridiculously high). In theory, toll roads (carretera quota) should be paralleled by free roads (carretera libre), but this isn’t always the case. Free roads are often narrow, winding, and full of traffic, but sometimes they are good for night drives (toll roads never are). All guidebooks to Mexico I’ve ever seen insist that driving at night is so dangerous, you might as well just kill yourself in advance to avoid the horror. In my experience, driving at night is usually safer, because there is less traffic, you see the headlights of upcoming cars before making the turn, and other drivers blink their lights to warn you of livestock on the road ahead. -
Pika Models + Climate Change
Pika Models + Climate Change Overview Subjects: Science, Math, Writing, Speaking & In this lesson adapted from the “High School Three-Course Model Listening, Physical Education, Living Earth Snapshot 7.6: Shrinking Pika Habitat” vignette in the Environmental Education, Art 2016 Science Framework for California Public Schools (pp. 839-841), students explore the life of pikas, tiny mammals that live in alpine Grades: 9 – 12 areas, and how they are being impacted by climate change. After a brief introduction which includes a reading, short video, and story Duration: Two 50-minute which includes a mathematical model, students engage in a periods or one long block of kinesthetic simulation to gain first-hand experience of life as a pika, 90 minutes; additional time and how the animals can be impacted by shrinking habitat. Students to complete projects and then create line graphs with data from the simulation and analyze it. present them to the class Part II of the lesson allows students to create their own model to Vocabulary teach others about pikas and their connections to their ecosystem, • biodiversity and/or how the pika or another organism is being impacted by • ecosystem • climate change and/or other human activities. Numerous ecological community • model adaptations/extensions are listed at the end of the lesson, including • pika ways to explore additional data from online computer simulations • species and how they can incorporate current and projected climatic data • talus into their models. Note: This lesson is targeted to grades 9 – 12; BAESI has another version of the lesson designed for grades 3 – 8. Guiding Questions • How might climate change impact alpine habitats and pika populations over time? • How might other species of wildlife be impacted if their habitat becomes warmer or cooler, or wetter or drier? Objectives • Students will participate in a kinesthetic pika population simulation, graph the data, and analyze it. -
Ecography ECOG-01063 Verde Arregoitia, L
Ecography ECOG-01063 Verde Arregoitia, L. D., Leach, K., Reid, N. and Fisher, D. O. 2015. Diversity, extinction, and threat status in Lagomorphs. – Ecography doi: 10.1111/ecog.01063 Supplementary material 1 Appendix 1 2 Paleobiogeographic summaries for all extant lagomorph genera. 3 4 Pikas – Family Ochotonidae 5 The maximum diversity and geographic extent of pikas occurred during the global climate 6 optimum from the late-Oligocene to middle-Miocene (Ge et al. 2012). When species evolve 7 and diversify at higher temperatures, opportunities for speciation and evolution of thermal 8 niches are likely through adaptive radiation in relatively colder and species poor areas 9 (Araújo et al. 2013). Extant Ochotonids may be marginal (ecologically and geographically) 10 but diverse because they occur in topographically complex areas where habitat diversity is 11 greater and landscape units are smaller (Shvarts et al. 1995). Topographical complexity 12 creates new habitat, enlarges environmental gradients, establishes barriers to dispersal, and 13 isolates populations. All these conditions can contribute to adaptation to new environmental 14 conditions and speciation in excess of extinction for terrestrial species (Badgley 2010). 15 16 Hares and rabbits - Family Leporidae 17 Pronolagus, Bunolagus, Romerolagus, Pentalagus and Nesolagus may belong to lineages 18 that were abundant and widespread in the Oligocene and subsequently lost most (if not all) 19 species. Lepus, Sylvilagus, Caprolagus and Oryctolagus represent more recent radiations 20 which lost species unevenly during the late Pleistocene. Living species in these four genera 21 display more generalist diet and habitat preferences, and are better represented in the fossil 22 record. (Lopez-Martinez 2008). -
Informes Individuales IUCN 2018.Indd
IUCN SSC Lagomorph Specialist Group 2018 Report Andrew Smith Hayley Lanier Co-Chairs Mission statement Targets for the 2017-2020 quadrennium Andrew Smith (1) To promote the conservation and effective Assess (2) Hayley Lanier sustainable management of all species of Red List: (1) improve knowledge and assess- lagomorph through science, education and ment of lagomorph systematics, (2) complete Red List Authority Coordinator advocacy. all Red List reassessments of all lagomorph Charlotte Johnston (1) species. Projected impact for the 2017-2020 Research activities: (1) improve knowledge of Location/Affiliation quadrennium Brachylagus idahoensis; (2) examine popula- (1) School of Life Sciences, Arizona State The Lagomorph Specialist Group (LSG) is tion trends of all lagomorphs in the western University, Tempe, Arizona, US “middle-sized” – not a single species, nor United States; (3) improve knowledge of Lepus (2) Sam Noble Museum, University of Oklahoma, composed of hundreds of species. We have callotis; (4) improve knowledge of Lepus fagani, Norman, Oklahoma, US slightly less than 100 species in our brief. L. habessinicus, and L. starcki in Ethiopia; However, these are distributed around the (5) improve knowledge of Lepus flavigularis; Number of members globe, and there are few similarities among (6) improve knowledge of all Chinese Lepus; 73 any of our many forms that are Red List clas- (7) improve knowledge of Nesolagus netscheri; sified as Threatened. Thus, we do not have a (8) improve knowledge of Nesolagus timminsi; Social networks single programme or a single thrust; there is no (9) improve knowledge of Ochotona iliensis; Website: one-size-fits-all to our approach. LSG members (10) improve surveys of poorly-studied www.lagomorphspecialistgroup.org largely work independently in their region, and Ochotona in China; (11) understand the role the Co-Chairs serve more as a nerve centre.