Why Was TV Star Jeff Corwin Spotted Filming in the Tri-Cities?

TV And Wildlife Conservationist Jeff Corwin Was Filming In The Tri-Cities Area

Former Animal Planet and current ABC TV host of Wildlife Nation With Jeff Corwin was in the Columbia Basin where he filmed a new episode of his hit TV series.

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Why Was Jeff Corwin In Tri-Cities?

Corwin was invited to Washington State by the Washington State Of Fish and Wildlife.

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Jeff Corwin Is Concerned About Wildlife Conservation In Washington State

According to a Facebook posting by the Washington State of Fish and Wildlife, Corwin was asked to help with annual winter counts and recovery efforts of tiny protected pygmy rabbits.

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The post reads that pygmy rabbits lived in many areas of Central Washington, but habitat loss due to development and wildfire has reduced their population to minimal numbers in two small areas in the Columbia Basin.

credit: washington department of fish and wildlife

Corwin was on hand to film an episode of this vital conservation effort and the episode will air on April 23rd on ABC - check your local listings for air time.

credit: washington department of fish and wildlife

The goal is to raise awareness of the plight of the pygmy rabbits right here in the Columbia Basin.

credit: washington department of fish and wildlife

Here are details of the effort according to the posting by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife:

These tiny rabbits- the smallest in North America at just a maximum of 12 inches long and weighing around 16 ounces- are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Reintroduction efforts were semi-successful until wildfire swept through the areas several times in the past few years, destroying the sagebrush these rabbits depend on to eat and build their homes in.

Each year, crews catch, count, and do health assessments of pygmy rabbits. This year Corwin and his crew joined the effort to both help and document this important conservation work for an Earth Day episode of his show.

The episode featuring the Columbia Basin, The Tri-Cities, pygmy rabbits, and Jeff Corwin will air Saturday, April 23rd on ABC.

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