A 1994 study on El Pelado used fecal pellet counts and direct censusing by line transect (on horseback) to estimate population size and concluded that the population size of R. diazi was between 2,478 and 12,120 individuals, recommending the smaller number be considered for conservation purposes due to broad confidence limits (Velazquez 1994).
Even the smaller number is more than I had imagined. Hopefully the Mexican government will allow a few outside of the country again. Maybe Los Angeles this time, like the Peninsular Pronghorn, for breeding purposes. And the fact that the population of their fellow countrymen here is the largest outside of Mexico City. I think they would do quite well here.
As the previous post mentions the estimates for wild volcano rabbit populatios vary greatly. CONABIO the mexican government agency that is in charge of biodiversity and wildlife management, gives the teporingo population at 6,800. The fact remains that the exact number is unknown. The vocano rabbits breed very well at chapultepec and los coyotes zoos, yet the direccion general de zoologicos del distrito federal does not send teporingos to other zoos, in or outside of mexico. Only ueno Zoo in Tokyo, recieved teporingos once in exchange for a temporary loan of a male giant panda. The founder group of teporingos was established at chapultepec in 1984 but additional wild volcano rabbits have been recieved since to maintain genetic diversity. The volcano rabbits are the treasure of the mexico city zoos and are great exhibit animals, very active during the mornings and evenings. I personally do think another volcano rabbit colony could be formed, perhaps at jersey where Durrell once bred them. LA zoo could also be feasible, only a few hours away by plane from mexico City,
