Morro Bay kangaroo rat / Nick Nelms
The Morro Bay Kangaroo Rat
Dipodomys Hermann Morrosesis
Description and Ecology:
While the scientific name Dipodomys Hermann Morrosesis covers several sub-species of kangaroo rats, the specific individual we wish to concentrate this blog on is the Morro Bay Kangaroo Rat. This particular sub-species is solely found in the county of San Luis Obispo, California. Sporting a darker color, smaller build, and specific locale, the Morro Bay kangaroo rat is a noticed subspecies under the general name of Hermann kangaroo rat. At about 15cm long (1ft including tail), and a weight of 70-80 grams this rodent, while called a rat, is in fact more closely related to squirrels. It inhabits habitats with stabilized sand dunes and coastal scrub/chaparral communities. The sandy soils are essential for the "rat", for they utilize underground burrows for reproduction and relaxation. With a diet mainly consisting of seeds, the Morro Bay kangaroo rat occasionally looks to vegetation or insects for additional nutrition. With a life span of 2-5 years, the females are able to reproduce in their first year. Mating season occurs from February through October, peaking in April. Females are able to produce multiple litters a year, giving birth a month after impregnation, with a litter size of two to five offspring. Regarding general activity, this species has been observed to be nocturnal, with minimal activity occurring in winter, countered with a peak in summer with occasional resurgence in the fall months.
Geographic and Population Change:
As stated before, the Morro Bay kangaroo rat has been known to solely inhabit San Luis Obispo County, CA. Historically, this sub-species populated a four square mile swath of coastal habitat located just south of Morro Bay. But recent surveys have put the current geographic range at a sad 37 acres (less than 3/50 of a square mile!). Population count has gone from an estimated 8,000 in 1957 to less than 50 current individuals.
Geographic and Population Change:
As stated before, the Morro Bay kangaroo rat has been known to solely inhabit San Luis Obispo County, CA. Historically, this sub-species populated a four square mile swath of coastal habitat located just south of Morro Bay. But recent surveys have put the current geographic range at a sad 37 acres (less than 3/50 of a square mile!). Population count has gone from an estimated 8,000 in 1957 to less than 50 current individuals.
Listing Date and Type of Listing:
Dipodomys Hermann Morrosesis has been listed as an endangered species wherever found since 1970.
Cause of Listing and Main Threats:
Human expansion is attributed to the main reason of Kangaroo Rat population decline. Fragmentation and loss of habitat due to human activity coupled with predation and fluctuation in habitat characteristics put a large degree of stress upon this local species. Due to a rapid decline in population the Morro Bay kangaroo rat was put on the endangered species list. This was followed by a proposed (and later passed) Final Correction and Augmentation of Critical Habitat Reorganization for the rodent after a decline of roughly 2,000 individuals throughout the 1970's.
Description of Recovery Plan:
The recovery plan for Dipodomys Hermann Morrosesis consists of four steps. The first step is increasing the population of the sub-species before they become extinct. This can be done by capturing them and breeding them with the close sub-species D. h. arena. Next land acquisitions must be made to protect and safely access the habitat for observation, research, and protection. The third step is education; researching the species genetics and making the public aware of such species. With the last component being a last resort breeding operation with the closest species.
What can you do?:
Become educated on this local and wonderful species. Help by funding, rehabilitation activities, or research.
Works Cited/Other Significant Works:
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI like that you picked an animal for your blog in San Luis Obispo because it makes the reader actually want to help since it’s in our area. I believe educating the San Luis Obispo community (through Cal Poly students) is a really good solution to helping the Morro Bay kangaroo rat since its main threat is habitat loss due to development. Hopefully by people reading your blog and becoming more informed, we can think more thoughtfuly in the future about development in SLO.
ReplyDeleteVictoria Plumb
What a unique choice of animal. I found this blog very informative regarding a species that I have never even hear of and know nothing about. I found it very interesting and it introduced me to a threatened species that I otherwise probably wouldnt have even learned about. I also really liked that you chose a local animal. I just think that your choice was really great because its both local, and unique.
ReplyDelete-William Motluk Bewley
I really liked your animal choice because I have never heard of this animal and definitely did not know that it was endangered. As Cal Poly students, it is helpful to know about this, as we live so close to Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo county. I wish there was more about what we can do, and maybe a few more pictures of the animal. Other than that, the information was very useful and interesting.
ReplyDelete- Skylar Millard
This blog post really caught my attention because it is a local species. By attending Cal Poly, we must coexist with the Morro Bay kangaroo rat directly. I was surprised to read it was nearly a foot long including the tail and close relative of squirrels. The number of individuals in this species is sadly low. Humans are directly involved in this species decline because of urban development.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Neill
Very unique that this animal is native to the area! I think it's interesting that the Morro Bay Kangaroo Rat is called a "rat" but is also described as a "squirrel" as well. It's shame that human expansion is the driving cause of hurting the existence of this species.
ReplyDelete- Jeffrey Phunmongkol
Nick,
ReplyDeleteThat is really cool that this specific Kangaroo Rat is native to Morro Bay only and that they are so closely related to squirrels! I wonder if they have ever tried mating the Morro Bay Kangaroo Rat with a squirrel. Also, its interesting that this kangaroo rat is endangered because the animal I did my blog on, San Joaquin Kit Fox, is a predator to the kangaroo rat.
Thanks for the post.
Gabi Morgan
I think your blog is very informative on a local species that is near to us in Cal Poly SLO. It saddens me knowing that we are destructing the habitat of an endemic species found in SLO county. We are the reason why they are being endangered. We should be adjusting ourselves to accommodate to their needs, not our needs, since they were the first to live in this region. Hopefully, this will bring us into awareness of this species and we get to help protect their homes as we get to live near them.
ReplyDelete- Alejandrina Perez
I thought this blog was very instructive and informative. The photo of the mouse is super cute. The map and chart you incorporated is very educational and we as readers appreciate the time you put into incorporating those aspects into your post.
ReplyDeleteGreat read
-Henrik Moe
I blog is really well constructed and informative. It's scary to think that habitat degradation is even effecting K-selective species. Really cool their close relative is the squirrel. I didn't know that they could live as much as five years! Very interesting blog.
ReplyDelete-Jordi Oliver