WASHINGTON (09/12/06) -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has designated the New England cottontail as a candidate for Endangered Species Act protection.

The announcement serves as a response to a petition requesting protection under the Act filed by the Biodiversity Legal Foundation, Conservation Action Project, Endangered Small Animals Conservation Fund and Defenders of Wildlife in 2000.  The Service has completed a comprehensive review - known as a 12-month finding - and determined that there is sufficient scientific and commercial data to propose protecting the species as endangered or threatened throughout its range. 

However, the Service said it can not beginning work immediately on a proposal to provide protection under the Act because its limited resources must be devoted to other, higher priority actions.  When a "warranted but precluded" finding is made for a species, the Service classifies it as a candidate.

"Placing the New England cottontail on the candidate list give us an opportunity to work with partners and citizens to take conservation measures before the species is given full federal protection," said Marvin Moriarty, Northeast regional director for the Service.  "This species is an important part of New England's natural heritage, and we all have a responsibility to preserve and protect it."

The Federal Register notice is available online. 

More information on the New England cottontail is also available online.