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My dogs alerted me something was in the engine compartment of my truck. I removed the dogs from the area and discovered this ringtail. The hood of the truck was left open a bit to allow the ringtail to escape easily once it felt safe to do so.

IMPORTANT: This rabbit was being handled as part of WDFW conservation actions. Unless under the express guidance and supervision of a wildlife agency, these animals should never be handled; they are critically endangered in this portion of their range and are very sensitive to human actions. These photos were taken during an authorized translocation event aimed at establishing wild populations of Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit. The animal pictured was being sexed, checked for parasites, and catalogued before being taken to a release site, it was handled with care every step of the way.