Sagebrush:
Sagebrush is the pygmy rabbit's main source of food. It is vital for their survival not only because it is their essential food source, but also an important part of their defenses against other predators. Due to their small size they are very easy prey for animals which makes them depend on sagebrush even more so. Apart from providing cover and a hiding spot for the small animal, sagebrush is grown in soft and very fertile soil which makes it easy for them to dig tunnels to escape from predators or just to create homes for themselves. Also, sagebrush is full of terpenes which are normally poisonous to most animals, which adds on an extra layer of protection, since many animals would be warded off at the sight of the sagebrush due to its tendency to be deadly to most animals. This only further exemplifies how important sagebrush is to the pygmy rabbit's survival since sagebrush would also prevent other, larger herbivores to take over the pygmy rabbit's habitat only going to show just how vital sagebrush is to the pygmy rabbit's survival. Below are some pictures of sagebrush.
Characteristics:
The pygmy rabbit is a tiny rabbit, only ranging from 9.25 to 11.65 inches and is the smallest rabbit in the world. Babies are rarely the size of an adult hand and adults are barely Their weight ranges from 398-462 g making it the lightest rabbit in the world as well. However, adult females, on average, grow to be the larger of the two. It is also the only rabbit in America which digs its own burrow and only has a lifespan of 3-5 years. It has a pale edge on the trailing edge of its ear along with a uniform colored tail. On occasion, they also have a small amount of colored hair on the inside of their ear while the rest of their body is usually a dark brown color which fades to a gray color in winter, making it a seasonal color change rabbit.