Lepus californicus melanotis Record from Southeastern South Dakota

The distribution and abundance of the white-tailed jackrabbit Lepus townsendii have declined significantly since 1950, continuing a trend that began in some regions of its range in the late 1800s. We reviewed museum records and the literature to evaluate the status of the white-tailed jackrabbit in each state and province in its historical range and evaluated possible reasons for its decline. Our evaluation revealed its extirpation or decline throughout much of its range, but its legal or conservation status does generally not reflect this precarious status. We note its extirpation in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, and potential extirpation in British Columbia, Oregon, Illinois, and Wisconsin. We classified the white-tailed jackrabbit to be broadly extirpated in Iowa, Minnesota, Washington, Nebraska and California, and declining with local extirpations in Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and South Dakota. We consider it to be a relict in Ontario, and possibly declining in Alberta, Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Idaho, and Montana. We consider only Manitoba to have a possibly stable population. Determining the reasons for the species' reduced distribution is difficult, as the decline appears to be due to multiple factors, none of which provide a universal explanation. We dismissed road kills, recreational hunting, disease and parasites, and competition with black-tailed jackrabbits Lepus californicus as causes of the widespread population declines and extirpations. We concluded that habitat alterations and climate change are overriding factors, and that past depredation measures and increased predator populations have likely contributed to the decline. These hypotheses require further testing. We recommend more research on the distribution, abundance, ecology, and population dynamics of white-tailed jackrabbits, and management that includes a frank appraisal of the species' status, the potential for grassland restoration, and programs to reintroduce populations into prairie preserves and restored grasslands.

Download Full-text

A Review of the Ongoing Decline of the White-Tailed Jackrabbit

Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management ◽

10.3996/042019-jfwm-026 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 341-352

Author(s):

David E. Brown ◽

Andrew T. Smith ◽

Jennifer K. Frey ◽

Brittany R. Schweiger

Keyword(s):

South Dakota ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Grassland Restoration ◽

Population Declines ◽

Species Status ◽

Habitat Alterations ◽

Multiple Factors ◽

The Status ◽

Lepus Californicus ◽

Historical Range

Abstract The distribution and abundance of the white-tailed jackrabbit Lepus townsendii have declined significantly since 1950, continuing a trend that began in some regions of its range in the late 1800s. We reviewed museum records and the literature to evaluate the status of the white-tailed jackrabbit in each state and province in its historical range and evaluated possible reasons for its decline. Our evaluation revealed its extirpation or decline throughout much of its range, but its legal or conservation status does generally not reflect this precarious status. We note its extirpation in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, and potential extirpation in British Columbia, Oregon, Illinois, and Wisconsin. We classified the white-tailed jackrabbit to be broadly extirpated in Iowa, Minnesota, Washington, Nebraska and California, and declining with local extirpations in Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and South Dakota. We consider it to be a relict in Ontario, and possibly declining in Alberta, Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Idaho, and Montana. We consider only Manitoba to have a possibly stable population. Determining the reasons for the species' reduced distribution is difficult, as the decline appears to be due to multiple factors, none of which provide a universal explanation. We dismissed road kills, recreational hunting, disease and parasites, and competition with black-tailed jackrabbits Lepus californicus as causes of the widespread population declines and extirpations. We concluded that habitat alterations and climate change are overriding factors, and that past depredation measures and increased predator populations have likely contributed to the decline. These hypotheses require further testing. We recommend more research on the distribution, abundance, ecology, and population dynamics of white-tailed jackrabbits, and management that includes a frank appraisal of the species' status, the potential for grassland restoration, and programs to reintroduce populations into prairie preserves and restored grasslands.

Download Full-text

Use of the AMA Guides in State Workers' Compensation Systems: 2009 Update

Guides Newsletter ◽

10.1001/amaguidesnewsletters.2009.marapr02 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 13-16

Author(s):

Christopher R. Brigham ◽

Jenny Walker

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

North Carolina ◽

South Carolina ◽

South Dakota ◽

Rhode Island ◽

Workers Compensation ◽

Fourth Edition ◽

Sixth Edition ◽

Specific Guideline ◽

Compensation Systems

Abstract The AMAGuides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides) is the most widely used basis for determining impairment and is used in state workers’ compensation systems, federal systems, automobile casualty, and personal injury, as well as by the majority of state workers’ compensation jurisdictions. Two tables summarize the edition of the AMA Guides used and provide information by state. The fifth edition (2000) is the most commonly used edition: California, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Vermont, and Washington. Eleven states use the sixth edition (2007): Alaska, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wyoming. Eight states still commonly make use of the fourth edition (1993): Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia. Two states use the Third Edition, Revised (1990): Colorado and Oregon. Connecticut does not stipulate which edition of the AMA Guides to use. Six states use their own state specific guidelines (Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, and Wisconsin), and six states do not specify a specific guideline (Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Virginia). Statutes may or may not specify which edition of the AMA Guides to use. Some states use their own guidelines for specific problems and use the Guides for other issues.

Download Full-text