“Burrow Mates”
Morgan Heim captured this encounter between a pygmy rabbit and stink beetle near the former’s burrow with the help of camera traps meant to monitor the rabbit population. Natives of the Columbia Basin in Washington State, these rabbits have sadly been driven to near-extinction through the overgrazing and clearing of habitable land in the Basin for growing crops. Conservation efforts have begun to increase their numbers, but more will be needed to ensure that these animals still have a place to call home.
This is a highly commended selection in the “Animals in their Environment” category.
