North American Rodents
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Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan North American Rodents Compiled and edited by David J. Hafner, Eric Yensen and Gordon L. Kirkland, Jr. IUCN/SSC Rodent Specialist Group Donors to the SSC Conservation Communications Programme and the North American Rodents Action Plan The IUCN/Species Survival Commission is committed to communicate important species conservation information to natural resource managers, decision-makers and others whose actions affect the conservation of biodiversity. The SSC’s Action Plans, Occasional Papers, news magazine (Species), Membership Directory and other publications are supported by a wide variety of generous donors including: The Sultanate of Oman established the Peter Scott IUCN/SSC Action Plan Fund in 1990. The Fund supports Action Plan development and implementation; to date, more than 80 grants have been made from the Fund to Specialist Groups. As a result, the Action Plan Programme has progressed at an accelerated level and the network has grown and matured significantly. The SSC is grateful to the Sultanate of Oman for its confidence in and support for species conservation worldwide. The Chicago Zoological Society (CZS) provides significant in-kind and cash support to the SSC, including grants for special projects, editorial and design services, staff secondments and related support services. The mission of CZS is to help people develop a sustainable and harmonious relationship with nature. The Zoo carries out its mission by informing and inspiring 2,000,000 annual visitors, serving as a refuge for species threatened with extinction, developing scientific approaches to manage species successfully in zoos and the wild, and working with other zoos, agencies, and protected areas around the world to conserve habitats and wildlife. The Council of Agriculture (COA), Taiwan has awarded major grants to the SSC’s Wildlife Trade Programme and Conservation Communications Programme. This support has enabled SSC to continue its valuable technical advisory service to the Parties to CITES as well as to the larger global conservation community. Among other responsibilities, the COA is in charge of matters concerning the designation and management of nature reserves, conservation of wildlife and their habitats, conservation of natural landscapes, coordination of law enforcement efforts as well as promotion of conservation education, research and international cooperation. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) provides significant annual operating support to the SSC. WWF’s contribution supports the SSC’s minimal infrastructure and helps ensure that the voluntary network and Publications Programme are adequately supported. WWF aims to conserve nature and ecological processes by: (1) preserving genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity; (2) ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable both now and in the longer term; and (3) promoting actions to reduce pollution and the wasteful exploitation and consumption of resources and energy. WWF is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organizations with a network of National Organizations and Associates around the world and over 5.2 million regular supporters. WWF continues to be known as World Wildlife Fund in Canada and in the United States of America. The Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions, UK, (DETR) supports a Red List Officer post at the SSC Centre in Cambridge, UK, where the SSC Trade Programme staff are also located. Together with two other Government-funded agencies, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the DETR is also financing a specialist plants officer. Further support for the centre is being offered by two NGO members of IUCN: the World Wide Fund for Nature – UK, and Conservation International, US. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan North American Rodents Compiled and edited by David J. Hafner, Eric Yensen and Gordon L. Kirkland, Jr. IUCN/SSC Rodent Specialist Group The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The opinions expressed in this volume do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN. Published by: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, UK Copyright: © 1998 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational and other non-commercial purposes is authorised without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Citation: Hafner, David J., Yensen, Eric and Kirkland, Gordon L., Jr. (Compilers and editors). (1998) North American Rodents. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN/SSC Rodent Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. x + 171 pp. ISBN: 2-8317-0463-4 Cover photo: The Florida mouse, Podomys floridanus, a species endemic to the Florida peninsula, is largely limited to fire-maintained, xeric, upland vegetation. Its Vulnerable status is the result of habitat loss over the last 50 years and the projected continuation of this through real estate and agricultural development. Photo by F. Sunquist. Produced by: The Nature Conservation Bureau Ltd, Newbury, UK. Printed by: Information Press, Oxford, UK. Available from: IUCN Publications Services Unit 219c Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK Tel: +44 1223 277894, Fax +44 1223 277175 E-mail: [email protected] WWW: http://www.iucn.org A catalogue of IUCN publications is also available. The text of this book is printed on 115 gsm Zone Silk, which is rated as 4-star under the Eco-Check system and is made from 100% sustainable fibre sources using chlorine-free processes. ii Contents Foreword .......................................................................v Spermophilus townsendii J.G. HALL AND D.J. HAFNER Townsend’s ground squirrel ........................ 51 Spermophilus tridecemlineatus Editors’ Notes and Acknowledgments ...........................vi Thirteen-lined ground squirrel .................... 51 D.J. HAFNER, E. YENSEN, AND G.L. KIRKLAND, JR. Spermophilus washingtoni Washington ground squirrel ........................ 52 Executive Summary .....................................................vii Tamias canipes Gray-footed chipmunk ............. 54 D.J. HAFNER, E. YENSEN, G.L. KIRKLAND, JR., J.G. HALL, Tamias minimus Least chipmunk ...................... 54 J.A. COOK, AND D.W. NAGORSEN Tamias palmeri Palmer’s chipmunk .................. 55 Tamias quadrivittatus Colorado chipmunk ....... 56 Introduction ................................................................viii Tamias umbrinus Uinta chipmunk .................... 57 E. YENSEN AND D. J. HAFNER Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Red squirrel ............... 58 CASTORIDAE ..................................................... 59 Chapter 1: North American Rodents .............................. 1 Castor canadensis Beaver .................................. 59 D.J. HAFNER AND E. YENSEN GEOMYIDAE ...................................................... 60 Geomys arenarius Desert pocket gopher ........... 60 Chapter 2: Rodents of Northwestern North America ...... 5 Geomys personatus Texas pocket gopher .......... 61 E. YENSEN, J.A. COOK, AND D.W. NAGORSEN Geomys pinetis Southeastern pocket gopher ..... 61 Geomys texensis Llano pocket gopher .............. 62 Chapter 3: Rodents of Southwestern North America .... 10 Thomomys idahoensis Idaho pocket gopher ...... 63 D.J. HAFNER Thomomys mazama Mazama pocket gopher .... 63 Thomomys talpoides Northern pocket gopher ... 66 Chapter 4: Rodents of Eastern North America ............. 18 Thomomys umbrinus Southern pocket gopher ... 67 G.L. KIRKLAND, JR. HETEROMYIDAE .............................................. 68 Chaetodipus californicus Chapter 5: Summary Descriptions of Rodents California pocket mouse ............................. 68 of Conservation Concern .............................................. 23 Chaetodipus fallax San Diego pocket mouse ..... 69 D.J. HAFNER, E. YENSEN, AND G.L. KIRKLAND, JR. (EDS.) Dipodomys elator Texas kangaroo rat............... 69 Dipodomys heermanni APLODONTIDAE ............................................... 30 Heermann’s kangaroo rat............................ 70 Aplodontia rufa Mountain beaver ..................... 30 Dipodomys ingens Giant kangaroo rat .............. 72 SCIURIDAE ......................................................... 33 Dipodomys merriami Merriam’s kangaroo rat .. 74 Ammospermophilus nelsoni Dipodomys microps Nelson’s antelope squirrel ........................... 33 Chisel-toothed kangaroo rat ....................... 74 Cynomys ludovicianus Black-tailed prairie dog . 35 Dipodomys nitratoides Cynomys parvidens Utah prairie dog ................ 36 San Joaquin kangaroo rat ........................... 76 Glaucomys sabrinus Northern flying squirrel .... 37 Dipodomys stephensi Stephens’ kangaroo rat .... 78 Marmota caligata Hoary marmot ..................... 39 Microdipodops megacephalus Marmota vancouverensis Dark kangaroo mouse................................. 79 Vancouver Island marmot ........................... 40 Microdipodops pallidus Pale kangaroo mouse ... 80 Sciurus niger Fox squirrel ................................