Rare rabbit's poop could be key to saving species from deadly virus
The elusive Appalachian cottontail rabbit is a rare find in its natural habitat. These rabbits are known to inhabit the steep mountains and high elevations of western North Carolina. Despite being similar to the eastern cottontail rabbits, they are slightly smaller.
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ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Researchers in North Carolina are collecting wild rabbit poop to help safeguard a vulnerable species in the region that could be impacted by a deadly disease.
The elusive Appalachian cottontail rabbit is a rare find in its natural wildlife habitat. These rabbits are known to inhabit the steep mountains and high elevations of western North Carolina. Despite being similar to the eastern cottontail rabbits, they are slightly smaller.
The animal is classified as vulnerable and listed as a species of concern by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), it is currently unclear if the population is impacted by a highly infectious and fast-spreading virus known as RHDV2.
"At this time, we have no evidence of RHDV2 here in North Carolina, based on our current monitoring efforts," said Andrea Shipley, NCWRC’s mammalogist. "However, we believe habitat loss and habitat fragmentation have most significantly impacted this species and could leave them vulnerable to becoming sick."
That’s why the NCWRC and Tangled Bank Conservation say they are studying these rabbits to identify potential threats and develop a management plan for their survival.
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The elusive Appalachian cottontail rabbit is a rare find in its natural habitat. (North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission)
"We are concerned about this rabbit species’ long-term survival because it’s dependent on a forest type that is declining, and small, isolated populations are vulnerable to quickly spreading diseases such as RHDV2, which is why we deem this study to be ‘time sensitive,’" said Sara Schweitzer, assistant chief of the NCWRC Wildlife Management Division’s Wildlife Diversity Program.
Scientists plan to gather data on the presence of Appalachian cottontails in the North Carolina mountains by conducting scat (animal waste) surveys. The surveys will also reveal areas where Eastern cottontails coexist with the Appalachian cottontails.
"The results from this survey will help us create management recommendations to conserve Appalachian cottontails, prevent hybridization between eastern and Appalachian cottontails, and reduce the risk of RHDV2 entering Appalachian cottontail populations," Schweitzer added.
Eastern cottontails pose a threat to the Appalachian cottontails through competition, hybridization and disease transmission, according to the NCWRC.
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Appalachian cottontails need spruce-fir forests to hide from predators. State wildlife officials said those trees are declining due to disease and invasive insects, leaving less habitat. The resulting isolation reduces genetic diversity, making them more susceptible to diseases like RHDV2.
The project's success will also rely on the support of the public, officials said.
"With much of North Carolina's land in private ownership, we are encouraged by the engagement of several private landowners in the surveys as well as their concern for the species," Schweizer said.