HOME-RANGE AND MOVEMENTS OF THE LOWER KEYS MARSH RABBIT IN A HIGHLY FRAGMENTED HABITAT

The endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri) occurs in a highly fragmented habitat in the Lower Keys of Florida. A primary goal in recovering this subspecies is understanding how indivi duals interact in this patchy landscape. Home range and movements of m arsh rabbits were studied to determine if rabbits are confined within a habitat patch (relictual population), spend most of their lives in a patch but are capable of moving between patches (metapopulation), or regularly move between habitat patches (patchy population). Radiotelem etry data were obtained from 43 rabbits representing all age and sex c lasses. Seven collared juvenile rabbits remained in their natal patche s of habitat until the onset of sexual maturity. All of the collared s ubadults (five of the surviving juveniles and 12 rabbits collared as s ubadults) made a relatively long, one-way movement. Ten of the males m oved to new patches; all but one of the females remained in their nata l patches. After establishing a home range, each of the adult rabbits (12 collared as juveniles or subadults and 11 collared as adults) rema ined in one patch of habitat until their deaths. These results indicat e that S. p. hefneri exists as a metapopulation. Conservation efforts should be aimed at protecting both the rabbit's marsh habitat and the lower-mangrove and upland-forest-corridor habitats used during dispers al.