Pygmy Rabbits - Species Features - Research Proposal Example

Pygmy Rabbits Affiliation Pygmy rabbits are unique animals living mainly in the North America. These rabbits are the smallest rabbit species with numerous predators that reduce their population at a high rate. Currently, pygmy rabbits are among the endangered species in the world. These rabbit species should be conserved, and their continuity should be enhanced. One of the appropriate steps to make in conserving the pygmy rabbits is to carry out a detailed research on various aspects and areas concerning pygmy rabbits. Some of the major areas that will be focused on the research include taxonomy and distribution, habitat requirements, morphological description, and diet and food habits. In addition, the study will focus on conservation strategies, population demographics, survivorship and reproduction, and activity and movement patterns. Pygmy Rabbits Introduction Pygmy rabbits are among the unique creatures mainly found in North America. They are the smallest of all rabbits found in North America. The mass of a pygmy rabbit is approximately a half the mass of a normal mountain cottontail rabbit. The adult males and females differ in size where adult females are larger than the male pygmy rabbits. In appearance, pygmy rabbits are mostly confused with juvenile cottontail rabbits but pygmy rabbits have several distinctive features. Unlike all other rabbit species in Utah, pygmy rabbits have the uniform brown coloration of tails. In addition pygmy, rabbits have small and neutral colored tails that may give an impression of these rabbits being tailless. Pygmy rabbits are listed among the endangered species in the world (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2013). These rabbit species have a large number of predators that kill and consume them. In addition, pygmy rabbits are small and slow in avoiding predators thus ending up being captured and killed. Therefore, species of pygmy rabbits should be conserved to ensure that these species are not extinct over time. Research is one of the appropriate strategies that can be used to conserve the endangered species effectively. A research on Pygmy rabbits is necessary in order to identify various features, habits, survival traits and habitat requirement of pygmy rabbits. The study on pygmy rabbits will cover important information such as morphological description, taxonomy and distribution, habitat and habitat requirements, activity and movement patterns, survivorship and reproduction, food habits, population demographics and conservation plans. A study of these areas will enable different conservation bodies and governments to adopt various strategies in order to conserve pygmy rabbits. Body The study on pygmy rabbits will involve acquiring morphological description. Morphological information required in the study will be based on the structure and forms of the pygmy rabbits. The morphological description will include size, average weight, color, total length, unique features and habits of the pygmy rabbits. Morphological information should cover all the structural aspects of the pygmy rabbits. Secondly, the study will focus on taxonomy and distribution of pygmy rabbits. Study on taxonomy and distribution will involve identification of the family and genus of pygmy rabbits through classification. Taxonomy and distribution research will also highlight the geographical distribution of pygmy rabbits. Study on the geographical distribution of pygmy rabbits will identify various parts of the world where pygmy rabbits are found. Genetic diversity of the pygmy rabbits will be established to determine whether pygmy rabbits found in various places are similar or vary from one another. Determination of the range of distribution of the pygmy rabbits will also important to identify the habitat of the species (Keinath &McGee, 2004). Thirdly, the research on pygmy rabbits will consist of detailed information on habitat and habitat requirement for pygmy rabbits. Under the subtitle of habitat and habitat requirement, the researcher will give a general description of the habitat in which pygmy rabbits live on. The general description of habitat entails vegetation present, types of predators present in the habitat and the soil texture present. In addition, the study will cover the vegetation size and population and the adaptation of the pygmy in the habitat. Area requirements will also be a key area that the research will cover under habitat requirement. The researcher will identify various types of habits used or formed by pygmy rabbits in various seasons of the year. In addition, habitat area for both male and female pygmy will be determined to understand the area covered by pygmy rabbits. Landscape patterns will also constitute the study on habitat requirement. The researcher should seek to determine the influence of different landscape patterns on the population of pygmy rabbits (Fite &Criddle, 2003). Movement and activity patterns are crucial areas to cover in the study on pygmy rabbits. Research on the movement and activity patterns of the pygmy rabbits will focus on dispersal patterns, migration and daily activities of the pygmy rabbits. Dispersal patterns of the pygmy rabbits will involve determining the how far pygmy rabbits can move and factors that influence their movement from one place to another. In addition, the researcher should also determine whether pygmy rabbits migrate and highlight factors leading to migration of pygmy rabbits. Under movement and activity patterns, the researcher should identify various activities done by pygmy rabbits. This will include the activities at the different time of the day and different periods in the years especially during different seasons such as winter and summer. The researcher should be able to identify how seasons influence activities of the pygmy rabbits. Survivorship and reproduction of pygmy rabbits are major areas of research. Study on reproduction and survivorship of the pygmy rabbits will involve acquiring information on breeding behavior, breeding habitat and breeding phenology. Breeding behaviors are particular behaviors demonstrated by pygmy rabbits during breeding. Some of these behaviors may include burrowing breeding nests and unique movement of male and female pygmy rabbits. Breeding phenology is the study of breeding cycle and trend of pygmy rabbits. The research should identify the number of breeding periods undergone by pygmy rabbits. In addition, sexual development periods should be determined in the study and conditions that influence breeding in pygmy rabbits. Studying the breeding habitat is a crucial part of the research. The researcher should identify the most appropriate breeding habitat and characteristics of breeding habitats (Keinath &McGee, 2004). The researcher should also focus on population demographics of the pygmy rabbits in the research. Study of population demographics involves acquiring information on fecundity and survivorship, factors limiting population growth, genetic concerns, and meta-population dynamics. Study on fecundity and survivorship enable the research to identify the maximum and minimum number of litters that a pygmy rabbit can produce in a year. In addition, the researcher will be able to identify various factors that influence the number of litters born annually. In studying fecundity and survivorship of pygmy rabbits, the researcher will able to determine the mortality rate of young and adult pygmy rabbits in different seasons. Research on population demographics of pygmy rabbits will lead to the identification of various factors that limit the rate of population expansion. In addition, the researcher will be able to study genetic concerns of pygmy rabbits that include consequences of genetic diversity in pygmy rabbits’ population. Population demographic information gather during the research should reflect the present population data and the past data on pygmy rabbits’ population (Keinath &McGee, 2004). Diet and food habits are among the key research areas that a researcher should focus in a study on pygmy rabbits. Diet and food habits include of food materials, and foraging strategy used by pygmy rabbits. The researcher will be able to identify various materials used by pygmy rabbits as food. In addition, the study will identify the composition of the diet taken by pygmy rabbits. Through the study of diet and food habits of pygmy rabbits, the foraging strategy used by pygmy rabbits will be identified. A study on pygmy rabbits should focus on identifying and evaluating various factors that affect the continuous existence of the endangered species in the North America. The research should highlight major constraints that hinder continuous existence and population growth of pygmy rabbits. In addition, the research should on ways of eliminating limiting factors to pygmy rabbits’ survival in order to ensure that the species continue existing (Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 2003). Conclusion In conclusion, a research on pygmy rabbits should determine various conservation plans and strategies that would be applicable in ensuring that the endangered species of pygmy rabbits are conserved, and continuous existence is enhanced. Conservation plans highlighted in the research should give maximum yield in the conservation of pygmy rabbits without causing harm to the pygmy rabbits. In addition, the identified plans and strategies for conservation of the pygmy rabbits should be economical, achievable and a realistic when practiced. Lastly, the research should be focused on reducing the level of vulnerability of pygmy rabbits thus conserving the endangered species. References Fite K & Criddle C. (2003). Pygmy Rabbit Petition. Office of Endangered Species Fish and Wildlife Services. Retrieved from http://www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/pygmy_rabbit_listing_petition_2003.doc Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. (1995). Washington state recovery plan for the pygmy rabbit. Wildlife Management Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Olympia.73pp. Keinath D &McGee M. (2004). Species Assessment for Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus Idahoensis) in Wyoming. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, Wyoming 82071; 307-766-3042; Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (2003). The Pygmy Rabbit. Retrieved from http://wildlife.utah.gov/habitat/pdf/pygmy_rabbit.pdf Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (2013). Pygmy Rabbits in Washington. Conservation. Retrieved from http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/pygmy_rabbit/ Read More