The pygmy rabbit is found throughout
the Great Basin desert and into some
adjacent areas. They are usually associated
with tall stands of old growth
big sagebrush (Artemesia
tridentata) and thus, within the park,
are most likely to be encountered in
the lower elevations, from about
4,500 ft to 7,000 ft. They have a very
distinctive alarm call, which may help
them communicate with their neighbors
in the dense sage. Predators
include weasels, coyote, red fox,
bobcat, and great horned owl.
Pygmy rabbits are shy and active at
night. They dig their own burrows,
and usually do not move more than 30
yards away from their burrow. They
are the smallest member of the genus
Brachylagus, with an average length of
11.5 inches. They look a great deal
like cottontail rabbits, but have no
white tail.
