Finally, after years of dwindling populations and a deadly outbreak in February and March, there may be some good news for Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits. I traveled out to Washington and Oregon to linkurl:report on efforts to save the species;http://www.the-scientist.com/2007/6/1/40/1/ for our June issue. The Associated Press linkurl:reported last week;http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/06/14/ap3822788.html that doctoral student Len Zeoli had found a ''female digging a burrow and lining it with grass, an indication she was preparing to give birth. Later, Zeoli spotted a partially grown juvenile rabbit near another burrow from what is believed to be a second litter of babies, called kits,'' Washington State University?s Rod Sayler told the AP. Meanwhile, Onyx, the male rabbit I met when he moved into temporary quarters in a 185-square meter pen to see how he would do in a ''prerelease setting,'' seems to be doing well. The hope is that he will eventually be released in...

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