A rabbit rescue operation is launched to save bunnies from rising floodwaters

For months, a team from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has navigated the Central Valley looking to rescue from rising floodwaters stranded riparian brush rabbits, a small, brown and white creature listed as an endangered species.

, the riparian rabbit was believed to be found only in Caswell Memorial State Park and near Lathrop. But with dangerously low numbers, the species was reintroduced into the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge, about 75 miles northeast of San Jose. Living near rivers, the animals have evolved to be able to survive floods, Takahashi said, but not for extended periods of time as they’ve had to do so this year.

Because of this, officials created what are known as “bunny mounds,” or areas of high land in flood-prone areas where the animals can escape to during flood events. But these areas are also limited in food and can sometimes leave the rabbits exposed to predators.The rescues this year have been especially significant for the endangered rabbits, considering the refuge estimates there are only 2,000 to 3,000 rabbits in the area, said Takahashi.

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