The Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit was federally recognized as an “endangered species” on June 21, 1990. It is affected by destruction to its habitat. The urbanized Florida Keys have left the rabbit with a very small home range, making it more vulnerable to threats such as pollution, vehicular road kill, and predation by stray cats. In 1995, scientists predicted a gradual decline in the rabbits abundance and extinction by 2045. The Lower Keys marsh rabbit population is estimated to contain approximately 150 individuals.
The largest population of Endangered Lower Keys Marsh Rabbits resides on the US Naval Base on Boca Chica Key near Key West, Florida. Our Key West Team are proposing to perform data collection on the numbers and location of these tiny rabbits. The effort will occur mostly at night when the rabbits are most active and Naval Flight Operations are limited. This data collection will support research performed decades earlier and may help determine if conservation efforts are helping or if further actions are required. Our Key West Team is made up of active duty and retired military and US Government Civilians which allows for unhindered base access. Our relationship with the Base Leadership and experience within the base infrastructure should assist in a smooth and transparent integration within the base activities.
Funding Required to Begin – Although this is a short project and the effort will mostly be conducted by volunteers, we need funding to provide lodging, food, transportation and appropriate clothing for the teams. Additionally, we need to provide night vision cameras and if allowed, a drone capable of IR and night vision photography. This equipment will see benefit across the other projects as we are tasked to conduct research and data collection for each additional effort.
Check our Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit Research page for more information and to see our latest status.
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