Flushing, New York – On October 2, 2025, Queens Zoo transferred 15 young New England cottontail rabbits to forests in Maine as part of ongoing efforts to prevent the species’ extinction.

Six kits were released into Fort Foster Park in Kittery, Maine, and four others into Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. The remaining five were released on Thacher Island near Rockport, Maine. The releases were carried out by USFWS staff and interns, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife personnel, a Maine Conservation Corps Steward, and park staff.

Each rabbit received flea and tick treatment, and microchips were implanted for future identification. The kits were bred at Queens Zoo in an off-exhibit area designed to support natural courtship and nesting, with minimal human interaction to ensure they could adapt to life in the wild. The rabbits born from May to July were prepared for release in late August.

Since joining the New England Cottontail Breeding Program in 2016, Queens Zoo has contributed 145 rabbits to conservation efforts, releasing them into carefully managed habitats across New England, including Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

“This release marks another important step in the ongoing recovery of the New England cottontail,” said Donna-Mae Butcher, Queens Zoo Assistant Curator of Animals. Nicole Schepis, the zoo’s wild animal keeper responsible for the rabbits, added that breeding these rabbits highlights the vital role of zoos in conserving species facing extinction.

New England cottontails have declined due to loss of dense shrubland, forest habitats, and competition from the eastern cottontail. Conserving this species supports the health of ecosystems that other native mammals, birds, and reptiles rely on.

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