White-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus townsendii) were once abundant in North America and provided a number of ecosystem services such as seed dispersal, nutrient cycling, facilitating the persistence of other species, and serving as a prey species for predators, including golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), bobcats (Lynx rufus), and numerous others. Reports describe declines and extirpations across much of their range, but given the extremely limited research available, it is difficult to determine what factors have led to reductions of white-tailed jackrabbits. Researchers have investigated few areas of white-tailed jackrabbit ecology, including the possible effects of climate change, habitat degradation and loss, competition with black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus), and changes in predator composition. We review the life history and research available on white-tailed jackrabbits, discuss possible causes of their decline, suggest areas that require additional research, and make recommendations regarding their management.
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