No scientist had seen the Omiltemi cottontail – a rare, endangered rabbit – since 1904. For More than 120 years, it was lost to science, its existence a mystery.
Now that it’s finally been spotted again, we have to make sure its species remains alive and well! Sign the petition to demand government funding to protect this species, now!
Living only in the unique habitat of conifer forests high up in the mountains, researchers knew it would be at risk of extinction due to climate change and habitat loss. So they spent years looking for the little animal, setting up cameras hidden in the underbrush near trees and attached to drones.
In fact, the researcher who first identified the Omiltemi cottontail was the first and last scientist to see the animal, all the way back in 1904.
Most recently, one scientist and his team spent more than five years combing the mountain forest ecosystems of Mexico, trying to recover evidence of the bunny. And they finally found a whole collection of Omiltemi cottontail rabbits, spread out across seven different locations!
It’s a relief to know this special animal is alive and well – and we have to keep it that way.
We must demand government funding to conserve this species, to ensure their populations thrive! Sign the petition to protect this endangered species.
This article by Nicholas Vincent was first published by One Green Planet on 19 February 2025. Lead Image: Image Credit :Hall Jameson/Shutterstock.
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