The cutest rabbit in the world is on the brink of extinction

Meet the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit, and the scientists trying to save it

As rabbits go, “cute and cuddly” is often the standard. But there is one rabbit that is considered to be “scientifically cute” — the smallest rabbit in the world, the pygmy rabbit.

The Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit was listed on the U.S. Endangered Species List after only 16 remained in Washington, U.S. Conservation efforts, including a captive breeding program and reintroductions to the wild, is meaning the rabbits are slowly making a comeback.

Today, dedicated scientists, conservationists and volunteers are working diligently to make sure the smallest rabbit in the world continues to make a recovery in the sagebrush hills of Washington.

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Nature of Things