Experts Say Pocket Gopher Near Extinction

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Can the pocket gopher be saved? The rodent, a secretive animal that usually goes unnoticed underground, is near extinction in south Georgia, biologists say. They're starting a new push to save the creature ecologists say does important work providing habitat for other animals and aerating the soil.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — Can the pocket gopher be saved? The rodent, a secretive animal that usually goes unnoticed underground, is near extinction in south Georgia, biologists say. They're starting a new push to save the creature ecologists say does important work providing habitat for other animals and aerating the soil.


The Southeastern pocket gopher was once common across Georgia's coastal plain but has disappeared from much of its former range, said Jim Ozier, a senior wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.


"It's been an animal that's been largely ignored and gone unnoticed over the years. It is a very secretive animal that has just disappeared quietly," Ozier said.


Named for their pocket-like cheeks, the gophers are vital to the ecosystem. The rodent rarely ventures above ground but is considered a "keystone species" because its elaborate network of underground burrows benefit other animals and plants, Ozier said. The gopher is found only in the coastal plains of Georgia, Florida and Alabama.


Biologists think the species has been devastated by loss of natural habitat -- longleaf pine savannas and naturally vegetated rolling sand hills. The gophers don't migrate and don't adapt very well to new habitat. "If they lose their habitat, they are pretty well gone," Ozier said.


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Worried that the gopher's decline could have a negative ripple effect on other animals and plants, the department last month launched a two-year survey and population assessment.


"Our research will document the decline of pocket gophers in Georgia, identify remaining habitat and discuss steps to ensure the long-term survival of this species," Ozier told the Florida Times-Union.


Pocket gophers have been identified as one of Georgia's high priority mammals in the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, a state and federally funded plan that will guide future conservation efforts in the state.


The gopher survey will cost about $32,300. Pocket gophers are protected by state law, but not classified as threatened or endangered.


"They are an important and declining species that we don't want to see die out," Ozier said, adding that biologists don't know how many pocket gophers are left.


As adults, the brown-and-gray rodents measure about eight inches from the tip of their nose to the tip of their tail. The animals need loose, easily crumbled soil for burrowing. They also need areas with ground cover of flowery grassy vegetation because they feed on the roots of those plants.


The rodent can be considered a nuisance at golf courses, lawns or gardens because their burrows are marked by small mounds of sandy soil.


"We want to work with landowners to encourage them to maintain the habitat," Ozier said.


Source: Associated Press