The rabbits will be placed in artificial burrows for cover until they dig their own burrows, and will wear tiny radio transmitters around their necks, to allow biologists to monitor their movements.

After a decade of mixed success trying to breed the rabbits in captivity — and one failed effort in 2007 to release them into the wild — government agencies are phasing out the breeding program.

Somewhere out in the dark, pygmy rabbits had left their burrows to feast on sagebrush leaves in the vast expanse of Washington’s Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area, near Ephrata.

Living up to its common name, Brachylagus idahoensis is the world’s smallest rabbit, typically weighing less than a pound. They live in burrows across the Great Basin, including western Utah.

For wild rabbits, she advises never attempting to care for one without a license. If you find an injured or abandoned wild rabbit, it’s best to contact a licensed rehabilitator or a wildlife ...