Iowa's only native hare is steadily disappearing
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Iowa's only native hare is steadily losing population in the state due to farmland shifting from small grain crops to majority corn and soybeans over the decades.
Why it matters: The white-tailed jackrabbit, once common across northwest and north-central Iowa, now barely registers on the state Department of Natural Resources' annual statewide surveys.
State of play: The Iowa DNR has conducted roadside wildlife surveys since 1962, counting jackrabbits across 200 routes statewide.
- In the late 1960s, counts averaged around 0.6 rabbits per route.
- In 2008, the statewide count hit zero for the first time. The DNR ended jackrabbit hunting around 2011 because numbers had gotten so low that losing even a handful felt significant, DNR researcher Todd Bogenschutz tells Axios.
The big picture: Jackrabbits like wide-open, short-grass landscapes. They rely on speed and their vision to escape predators, and they need to see threats coming from a distance.
- Through much of the 20th century, Iowa farmers commonly used a rotation of corn, oats and hay, which provided a good habitat.
- Today's corn and soybeans grow too tall for jackrabbits to use, especially during their nesting period in the spring.
The intrigue: White-tailed jackrabbits, which are faster and bigger than regular rabbits, still occasionally turn up on survey routes, Bogenschutz says.
What's next: While they're not endangered, the Iowa DNR considers them a species of conservation need, though increasing the population will be difficult unless farmers grow more oats or switchgrass.
- The DNR is asking the public to report sightings online to help gather more information.