New addition to Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge

Now, as part of the refuge, the land will help nurture a number of at-risk and priority species, including the New England cottontail, American woodcock, monarch butterflies, golden-winged warbler, and spotted turtle. The alarming disappearance of the region’s only native rabbit inspired an ongoing initiative to restore populations and habitat in New England and eastern New York. About 13,000 acres of habitat has been created since 2011, and biologists estimate there are around 13,000 rabbits.