As part of a bid to rescue the only rabbit species indigenous to New England from vanishing, fifteen young New England cottontail bunnies, born at a New York City zoological park, have been set loose in Maine.
Six of the bunnies were freed at Fort Foster Park in Kittery, while four others were released at the nearby Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. A further five were introduced to Thacher Island, located off the Rockport shoreline.
Prior to their liberation, each rabbit was treated with flea and tick repellent and fitted with a small microchip for surveillance in the event of recapture.
“This release signifies yet another pivotal stage in the continuous revival of the New England cottontail,” declared Donna-Mae Butcher, assistant animal curator at the Queens Zoo. “Through collaboration with our partners, we are aiding in guaranteeing a future for this native rabbit.”
The bunnies were propagated in a secluded zone at the zoo, meticulously crafted to replicate the conditions of natural mating and nesting. The females were afforded the opportunity to select their partners and nurture their offspring in serene, low-pressure surroundings.
To ensure they remained wild and prepared to prosper independently, the young rabbits were shielded from human interaction, researchers stated.
The offspring, known as kits, were born between May and June. By August, they were mature enough to commence their lives in their novel woodland environments.
Since joining the New England Cottontail Breeding Program in 2016, the Queens Zoo has furnished 145 rabbits to restorative endeavors throughout the region. Kits nurtured there have been set free in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
“Our undertaking to propagate these rabbits, with the aim of averting their extinction, underscores the significant importance of zoos in wildlife preservation, notably for species confronting extinction,” affirmed Nicole Schepis, a wild animal caretaker at the Queens Zoo, in a press announcement.
Once prevalent throughout New England, the cottontail’s habitat has contracted by over 80% since the 1960s. The species has endured habitat depletion as woods and scrublands were eliminated for construction.
It additionally confronts rivalry from the eastern cottontail, a species more adept at surviving in fractured or exposed landscapes, researchers indicated.
Safeguarding New England cottontails benefits more than just one species – it bolsters an entire system of native fauna reliant on the same dense woodland habitats, encompassing birds, diminutive mammals, and reptiles.
The zoo’s propagation program constitutes a segment of a broader regional partnership that encompasses the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island, state wildlife organizations in New York and New England, universities, and private property owners.
The Queens Zoo intends to persist with its propagation efforts next spring, when the rabbits’ inherent mating season commences.
The New England cottontail, Sylvilagus transitionalis, is categorized as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, implying it encounters a substantial risk of obliteration in the wild.
More information
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides further details on the New England cottontail.
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