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Captive-bred endangered rabbits released on privately owned habitat |
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December 12, 2005The San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge | | |||
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Contact: Jim Nickles, 916/ 414-6572 Release marks attempt to establish second self-sustaining population In a partnership with the Bob Gallo family, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Endangered Species Recovery Program/CSU-Stanislaus are releasing more than two dozen members of a new generation of captive-bred riparian brush rabbits into the wild. The new releases, taking place on privately owned ranch land that is adjacent to the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge west of Modesto, marks the beginning of an effort to establish a second self-sustaining population of the endangered rabbits in their native habitat along rivers in the San Joaquin Valley. The Fish and Wildlife Service holds a conservation easement on the Faith Ranch, which is owned by the wine-making Gallo family. But up till now, the Service's management focus has been migratory birds, particularly the Aleutian Canada goose. The goose, once listed as an endangered species, was declared recovered and de-listed in 2001. The fields at the Faith Ranch, a wintering area for the geese, played a critical role in the species' recovery. “Now, the Faith Ranch could play a major part in helping recover the endangered riparian brush rabbit,” said Kim Forrest, project leader for the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex, of which the San Joaquin River refuge is a part. “We thank the Gallo family for their land stewardship and their leadership in conserving California's natural resources.” Under its 1998 recovery plan, the riparian brush rabbit needs at least three new self-sustaining populations in the wild to be considered for de-listing, beyond the one known population at the time at Caswell Memorial State Park near Ripon, San Joaquin County. Since 2002, the Service and the Endangered Species Recover Program – part of California State University, Stanislaus – have established one population in restored habitat in another area of the San Joaquin River refuge. Since 2001, the rabbits – considered to be one of California 's most endangered mammals -- have been bred at a captive-breeding facility near Lodi. The captive-breeding program, and the effort to restore habitat for the rabbits, is jointly funded by several public agencies, including the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, and the California Department of Fish and Game. ### The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. |
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