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Pacific pocket mouse habitat6/22/2023 “Cuteness” aside, they play a critical role the function of the Coastal Sage Scrub ecosystem in which they live. They are primary seed dispersers, prey for many species and their digging activities increase soil hydrology and nutrient cycling. Essentially, they support a functioning Coastal California Sage Scrub ecosystem which is one of 35 global biodiversity hotspots, areas that contain the highest species richness across the globe. In fact, they are no more closely related to those mice than humans are to monkeys. They are the smallest mouse in North America, live right here in Coastal Southern California and are found nowhere else in the world. They are awe inspiring in their own right. They are adapted to our dry environment and can survive without ever having to drink any water. To do this, they get their water needs met almost exclusively from what their bodies can extract from seeds, their kidneys are specialized for water retention, and even their cheek pouches, which they use to collect and transport seeds into the burrows, are located outside of their mouth to prevent water loss. All of these adaptations will serve them well through our drought. They have excellent low frequency hearing and can even detect the silent sound of an owl approaching. Enter, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research.įirst of all, why do we care? Why would the world famous San Diego Zoo lend their expertise to save the Pacific pocket mouse? It’s a mouse, right? We at San Diego Zoo Global are dedicated to saving species across the globe, including those here in our own backyard and we have many thriving local conservation programs. Personally, I would save them because I love nature and appreciate its intrinsic value and well, because it’s the right thing to do. But for those needing some convincing, I would say, the Pacific pocket mouse is not your typical house mouse that you find under kitchen cupboard. To facilitate recovery, the agencies had prioritized population creation so that a single catastrophic event wouldn’t wipe them out. There were only 4 populations remaining, 3 on Camp Pendleton and 1 at the Dana Point headlands. What we knew 10 years ago was that this tiny species of mouse was threatened with extinction because they’re preferred habitat was the same as ours, the Southern California coast, no more than 3-5 miles from the ocean. Last week, we reintroduced our first group of 50 mice back into the wild, at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, creating a fourth population of the species and taking a major step forward towards recovery. We committed to contributing our efforts to save the endangered Pacific Pocket Mouse (PPM) 10 years ago. “It’s indicative of the dedication and incredible care we as an organization provide for each species, from the largest to the very smallest.”Ĭamille Fine is a trending visual producer on USA TODAY's NOW team.It’s been a long time coming. “This recognition is so special for our team, and is significant for the species,” said Debra Shier, who established and oversees the conservation program. These mice have a small but mighty presence that is critical to the local ecosystem: disbursement of native plant seeds and digging, which promotes plant growth, the alliance said. The alliance recorded a record 31 litters and 117 pups born in 2022 - many of whom will be reintroduced to the wild this spring.Ī new population of Pacific pocket mice that began breeding without human assistance was established in Orange County’s Laguna Coast Wilderness Park in 2017, the alliance added. In 1994, small, isolated populations were rediscovered in Orange County - allowing a breeding program to launch in 2012 to conserve the species. Wildlife Photographer of the Year: 'Dream’ image of a leopard at sunset and other stunning finalists The world's oldest dog ever: Bobi takes Guinness World Record at 30 years old
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