Wyoming's agriculture and energy industries have more to worry about than the sage grouse in southwest Wyoming.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday that it is considering the pygmy rabbit for federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.

The species - the smallest rabbit in North America - is found in Wyoming, Nevada, California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Washington. It is one of only two species that digs its own burrows. During the winter, 99 percent of its diet is sagebrush.

"They're found in our sagebrush basins," said Erik Molvar, a Laramie-based wildlife biologist for Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, one of the groups petitioning for protection of the animal. "That's exactly where we're seeing heavy oil and gas development."

John Etchepare, director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, warned that an Endangered Species Act listing would "have as much impact on Wyoming agriculture as the listing of the sage grouse."

The Fish and Wildlife Service is also considering federal protection for the sage grouse, which is found in a broader area of Wyoming than the pygmy rabbit. The rabbit's habitat is primarily in Sweetwater, Uinta, Lincoln and Sublette counties, according to federal officials.

Endangered Species Act protection for either species could lead to restrictions on livestock grazing and energy development in the animals' habitat.