The wide open shrub steppes of eastern Washington's Douglas County are the historic range of the smallest rabbit species in North America - the pygmy rabbit.

On March 13, 2007, after six years of intensive work by Northwest Trek, The Oregon Zoo, Washington State University under the direction and with the help of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, the first 20 rabbits were released from the species recovery program.

The media turned out for the event with representation from the Associated Press to the Wenatchee World and Northwest Cable News to National Public Radio. Among the folks speaking were Ren Lohoefener, Pacific Region Director for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Jeff Koenings, director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Northwest Trek's Head Animal Keeper, Ed Cleveland (left) gave Tom Banse of NPR some background information about the project. Trek did not have any rabbits to release on this day because of an unexpected illness among its rabbits. Since the project is split among three locations (Trek, Oregon Zoo and WSU) there should still be plenty of rabbits available to breed and release in coming years.

Landowners in the area signed Safe Harbor agreements with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to allow endagered species management on their private lands while giving assurances to the owners that no additional regulatory restrictions will be imposed.

The first 20 rabbits released have tiny radio collars. They will be tracked daily for the first few months to determine how they are doing in their natural habitat.

Artificial burrows were prepared ahead of time for the rabbits and blocked off until the rabbits arrived to ensure no other animals would take over the space. Irrigation pipe is just the right size for the diminutive residents. The rabbits are expected to dig their own burrows eventually.

Some nice fresh greens were placed at the burrow entrance for the rabbits' first meal. They normally feed on the plentiful sagebrush and grasses, which are just beginning tender spring growth.

One of the first rabbits is ready to run to her new home. Some of the ranchers who attended the release said they had not seen these rabbits in the area for many, many years. They were pleased to have them back.

The number of cameras documenting these first few rabbits was reminiscent of a birthday party. It might be said it was a day of rebirth on the shrub steppes north of Ephrata.

Home at last!