Field reports: Douglas County gets pygmy rabbits

ENDANGERED SPECIES – Up to 100 pygmy rabbits – from captive-breeding facilities and from the wild in Oregon – will be released in Washington’s Douglas County in the continued effort to re-establish the endangered species in Washington.

The Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit is the country’s smallest native rabbit and the only rabbit to dig its own burrows, which makes it dependent on deep soils in shrub-steppe habitat in Eastern Washington.

It was listed as a state endangered species in 1993. After the state population dropped to fewer than 40 rabbits in Douglas County by 2001, it was listed as a federal endangered species in 2003

Rich Landers

Kettle debris spilled into Lake Roosevelt

BOATING – The debris boom at the mouth of the Kettle River was breached last week, causing logs and other floating debris to flow downstream into Lake Roosevelt, state officials say.

Rich Landers

Class tackles weeds on small acreages

INVASIVES – A six-hour class on weed management for owners of small acreages is being offered by the WSU Spokane County Extension on May 24 and 31 at Spokane Community College.

Info: (509) 533-7256

Rich Landers

OHV education law enacted in Idaho

OFF-ROADING – Unlicensed drivers who wish to operate an OHV on national forest roads are required to take an OHV safety course, according to a new law enacted by the Idaho Legislature.

The law requires riders under 16 to be supervised while driving OHVs.

Rich Landers

Angler’s head tally may be tall tale

FISHERIES – An Idaho angler who turned in hundreds of fish heads to collect a $15-per-head bounty is being investigated.

Idaho Fish and Game Department researchers pay for certain heads from Lake Pend Oreille, but they suspect many of the man’s fish were caught elsewhere.

Rich Landers