Rabbits are probably starting to "nest" now (females use a depression to hide and shelter their babies), so what looks like a burrow might be housing young that still depend on their mother. It's hard to say without seeing the depression/burrow, but since rabbits don't dig actual tunnels or burrows (though they could use one created by another animal), maybe another species is involved. We're not experts in rabbit behavior, so if you'd like to explore your options, reach out to wildlife biologists at the MD Department of Natural Resources. An email can be sent to <personal data hidden> (especially if you want to share photos) or, if you would like to speak to someone, they have a Wildlife and Heritage Service phone number at<personal data hidden>. The phone line is staffed during regular business hours, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, except state holidays and weekends.

We don't know for certain about the food safety of this situation, but it would be reasonable to be cautious and just not harvest the thyme for a while. (We can't say for how long...perhaps just a few weeks.) It will keep growing into the summer and those new shoots will be presumably fine to harvest. Regardless of whether a wild animal was seen near food plants, it's always recommended to rinse home fruit/vegetable/herb harvests thoroughly before using them.

Applying an animal repellent (they are made for common yard nuisance pests like deer, rabbits, and groundhogs) near the thyme might help to discourage revisits, but check with the DNR for any tips they may have. A lucky rabbit that evades predators may live a few years (the Humane Society says 1-9 years), but they are able to reproduce at just one year old, so even if an original rabbit dies, the population in the general area can sustain itself fairly easily.

Miri