omiltemi cottontail rabbit

Omiltemi Cottontail Rabbit

Scientific Name: SYLVILAGUS INSONUS
Last Seen: EARLY 1900s IN MEXICO
Years Lost: over 120 years
Red List Status: Data Deficient

This species of rabbit was rediscovered in the Sierra Madre del Sur, a small, semi-isolated mountain range in Mexico. The Omiltemi cottontail rabbit was lost to science, but communities in the mountains knew where to find the species. An expedition team visited 10 areas in the state of Guerrero over five years and found the rabbit in seven of these areas. The rabbit has “cottontail” in its name, but instead, its tail is black and short. It’s smaller overall than other rabbits in the area and also has smaller ears.

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