Desert pocket gopher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Desert pocket gopher |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Geomys
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| Species: |
arenarius
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The desert pocket gopher (Geomys arenarius) is a small, burrowing animal. It's a type of rodent, like a mouse or a rat. You can find these gophers in parts of Mexico (in the state of Chihuahua) and the United States (in Texas and New Mexico).
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What Does It Look Like?
These gophers are medium-sized. They have a long, hairy tail and light-colored fur. Like other gophers, their bodies are strong and thick. They have small eyes. Their front paws are big and strong. This helps them dig tunnels underground. Their fur is usually dull brown on their backs. Sometimes, it has black tips. This brown color goes down their sides. It then blends into white fur on their chest, belly, and feet.
How Scientists Classify Them
The desert pocket gopher belongs to a group of animals called Geomys. This group is part of the Geomyidae family. All these animals are Rodents. Scientists study how different animals are related. They look at things like genes and body shapes. Some scientists think the desert pocket gopher is its own unique species. Others believe it might be a type of Geomys bursarius. This is because they look similar. However, there's no strong proof to change its status. It is still considered its own species.
Where Do They Live?
Their Home Range
Desert pocket gophers mostly live in a narrow area. This area follows the upper Rio Grande Valley. It starts in Chihuahua, Mexico. Then it goes north and west into parts of New Mexico and Texas in the United States. They don't travel very far from their homes. This keeps them separate from other gopher groups.
Specific Locations
These gophers live in scattered places. One group lives in White Sands National Park in New Mexico. This park is in the Tularosa Basin. Other smaller groups are found near Gran Quivira and in the Jornada del Muerto basin. More gophers live along the Rio Grande river. They are also found near its smaller rivers. These areas are in southern New Mexico, western Texas, and northern Chihuahua. A group near Columbus, New Mexico might not exist anymore.
What Kind of Habitat Do They Like?
Desert pocket gophers like areas with loose soil. They also like sandy riverbanks. These places are easy for them to dig tunnels in. They often live near water, like rivers, ponds, or irrigation canals. The areas around their homes are usually rocky plains or deserts. They prefer dry places. Summers are long and hot there. Winters are short and mild.
These gophers dig a lot. Because of their digging, they can change the soil in their habitats. They disturb the ground more than some other gopher species.
