Rare Rabbit Found on First Night of 3-Month Expedition

The Annamite striped rabbit, native to Vietnam and Laos, was first described in 1998 and has rarely been seen since. Sarah Woodfin, a graduate student at the University of East Anglia, set out on a three-month expedition with a team from WWF Vietnam to find and study the rabbit.

She said; "I didn't expect that I would ever see one up close. I thought that if I was very lucky, I might see one from a distance in the forest. I certainly never expected that I would have the opportunity to hold one of these magnificent animals. I was utterly delighted.

"My team and I encountered the rabbit completely by chance on the first night of my trip.

"It was found hopping along a stream bank eating vegetation. One of my team members managed to catch it and brought it back to camp, where we were all able to have a good look at it.

You can read more about the search for the Annamite striped rabbit at Science Daily. But the question remains: what does a team of researchers do for the next three months once their goal has been attained? We all know they can’t give the surplus grant money back. -via reddit

(Image credit: University of East Anglia)