|
|
MAMMAL FACTS
|
Description
Botta's Pocket Gopher has smooth short fur. There is considerable color variation - they can be pale grey, brown, tan to almost black. The underside is slightly paler. The body is stocky with short legs with long front claws. The eyes and ears are small and the tail is bare at the tip. Pocket gophers have fur-lined external cheek pouches that are used for transporting food. The gopher can close its mouth behind its front teeth, so it can dig without getting dirt in its mouth.
Other Names
Valley Pocket Gopher
Size
Body length: 15cm - 28cm. Tail length: 4cm - 9.5 cm. Males are larger than females. Weight: males 140g; females 90g.
Environment
grassland, forest, mountain valleys, deserts, agricultural areas. Gophers dig a system of deep burrows and shallow tunnels. The deep burrows can be 1-3 meters below ground and contain nesting and storage chambers.
Food
roots, bulbs, tubers, plant stems and leaves.
Breeding
A litter of 3-7 (average 6) is born after a gestation period of 19 days. The young weigh 3g - 4g at birth and are weaned between 36 and 40 days.
Range
southern Oregon and central Colorado to central Mexico
Classification
| Class: | Mammalia | | Order: | Rodentia | | Family: | Geomyidae | | Genus: | Thomomys | | Species: | bottae | | Common Name: | Botta's Pocket Gopher |
|
|
