Overview
The Pacific pocket mouse is one of 16 currently recognized subspecies of the little pocket mouse that is widely distributed throughout arid regions of the western United States, extending into the northern part of the Baja California peninsula and west central Sonora, Mexico. Historically, the Pacific pocket mouse was found within 2.5 miles of the Pacific Ocean in Los Angeles County south to the vicinity of the Mexican border in San Diego County, California. After 20 years with no reports of the species remaining in existence, a single population was discovered in coastal Orange County, California, leading to emergency listing of the subspecies as endangered in 1994. Since listing, three additional populations have been found within Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in north San Diego County. The Pacific pocket mouse is primarily associated with sandy soils in a range of habitats with open vegetation structure structure
Something temporarily or permanently constructed, built, or placed; and constructed of natural or manufactured parts including, but not limited to, a building, shed, cabin, porch, bridge, walkway, stair steps, sign, landing, platform, dock, rack, fence, telecommunication device, antennae, fish cleaning table, satellite dish/mount, or well head.
Learn more about structure in coastal southern California, including dunes, strands, mesas and drainages with mixed coastal scrub, grasses and forbs. All known populations are threatened by habitat fragmentation and degradation and small population size.
Scientific Name
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Characteristics
Physical Characteristics
It ranges from 4.3 to 6 inches in length from nose to tip of tail and weighs from 6 to 10 grams, making it one of the smallest rodents in North America.
Its coat ranges from a light pinkish or yellowish brown to brown above and is pale light brown to whitish on the underside. There are typically two small patches of lighter hairs at the base of the ears, and the tail is weakly to strongly bi-colored.
Behavior
The Pacific pocket mouse is a nocturnal, burrowing rodent with external fur-lined cheek pouches that it uses to forage for its primary diet of seeds. It utilizes torpor and feeds on seeds cached in its burrow to withstand dormancy below ground during the winter and other times of the year when resources are scarce.
Timeline
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