Omilteme cottontail
A camera trap photo of an Omilteme cottontail in the Sierra Madre del Sur. (© Photo by Joe Figel, provided by Re:wild)

Mexico: Omilteme Cottontail Rediscovered After Over 120 Years

Re:wild has announced the rediscovery of the Omilteme cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus insonus), a species thought to be lost for over a century, in the Sierra Madre del Sur, Mexico. This finding is a significant milestone for conservation and research efforts.

A team led by José Alberto Almazán-Catalán, president of the Instituto para el Manejo y Conservación de la Biodiversidad (INMACOB), conducted a five-year search across ten regions in Guerrero state. They confirmed the species’ presence in seven of these areas. This success is part of Re:wild’s global “Search for Lost Species” program, which aims to rediscover species that have not been scientifically documented for decades.

Unique Features of the Omilteme Cottontail Rabbit

Omiltemi Cottontail area
The Omilteme cottontail rabbit’s extremely small range covers less than 500 square kilometers. (© IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, species assessors and the authors of the spatial data., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)ss

The Omilteme cottontail is primarily nocturnal, making it challenging to observe. It is distinguished by its reddish-brown fur and a short, black tail, unlike the typical “cotton tails” of other rabbits. Additionally, it is smaller than other regional rabbit species and has proportionally smaller ears. With its habitat restricted to the Sierra Madre del Sur, it is considered one of the world’s rarest and most endangered rabbit species. It primarily inhabits dense cloud forests and pine or pine-oak forests at altitudes of 2,133 to 3,048 meters.

The area surrounding the village of Omilteme, which lends its name to the species, is a biodiversity hotspot. Here, 37 other mammal species share the habitat with the Omilteme cottontail. These rabbits play a crucial ecological role by enriching the soil with their droppings and promoting the growth of unique plants while keeping invasive vegetation in check.

According to the IUCN Red List, the Omilteme cottontail is classified as “data deficient.” Its primary threats include poaching and habitat loss due to deforestation. The species had not been reported in the wild since the early 1900s.

Challenges and Research Progress

The search for the Omilteme cottontail began in 2019 in the forests near Chilpancingo, Guerrero’s capital, where the species was first documented in 1904. When no evidence was found, the team expanded their search to higher elevations. Interviews with local villagers and hunters proved invaluable. Local hunters described frequent sightings and identified the rabbit as an important food source, helping narrow down its range. Captured specimens and a donated pelt from 1998 provided concrete evidence of the species’ survival.

Despite these advances, much remains to be learned, particularly about the breeding season, which spans from January to June, and the species’ exact population size. Approximately 80% of the research goals have been achieved, according to Almazán-Catalán. The next steps include working with local communities and agencies like the National Commission for Protected Areas (CONANP) to develop conservation strategies.

The known range of the Omilteme cottontail lies within the Sierra Tecuani Biosphere Reserve. However, there are currently no targeted protections for this species. Re:wild hopes the new findings will guide efforts to establish effective conservation measures.

A Conservation Milestone

Christina Biggs, Re:wild’s Lost Species Officer, praised the team’s perseverance and innovation: “This search was full of unexpected twists, combining interviews with cutting-edge techniques like drone surveys to locate this small rabbit.”

The rediscovery of the Omilteme cottontail underscores the importance of long-term research and collaboration with local communities. It is hoped that this achievement will not only lead to conservation actions for this species but also inspire other global wildlife preservation projects.

This discovery is part of Re:wild’s “Search for Lost Species” initiative, which focuses on rediscovering species not scientifically documented for at least a decade. The program has already rediscovered 13 species, including De Winton’s golden mole, the Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, Wallace’s giant bee, and the Fagilde trapdoor spider.

Visited 14 times

Support this blog! If you enjoyed this post, please consider making a small donation. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference. Your donation helps me keep the blog ad-free and without paywalls, ensuring that all readers have free access to the content. You can easily donate through the donate button. Every amount counts and is greatly appreciated! Thank you for your support!