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Scientific Poster: New Mexico meadow jumping mouse
Op-Ed: New Mexico meadow jumping mouse
Often times, when focusing on environmental matters, the first issue that comes to mind is global warming. Now, while Global Warming is of paramount importance worldwide, and requires the whole world to address, there are also local issues that affect our community. One environmental concern involves the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, which is probably unknown to the majority of our community. It is a species that lives in the Southwest, and is proposed for listing on under the Endangered Species Act.
I didn’t know much about this mouse until I did my internship at Ecosphere Environmental Services for three weeks in March. While interning, I learned that this mouse actually has some pretty cool and unique features.
For example, did you know it can jump three feet, which is ten times the length of its body? It also has elongated feet and a long tail that help propel it in the water.
While you might think a mouse in your home is quite common and shouldn’t be listed as endangered, this specific species is becoming rarer and relies on our unique riparian habitats in the Southwest to survive. The scrub-shrub wetlands that surround us are extremely important for New Mexico meadow jumping mice because they hibernate 9 months out of the year, and need to stock up on seeds, bugs, and slugs to provide them with enough fuel to last the whole winter. Riparian habitats provide a lot of rich food very close to the nests.
Riparian areas (where the land borders streams/rivers and provides tall vegetation) include only 1% of all of the land in the Southwest. These areas are threatened from grazing by cattle. Climate change, agricultural water use, off-roading, camping, and beaver removal are other factors that also degrade the riparian habitat.
While the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) tries to protect the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse on federal lands, by listing it on the Endangered Species list, there isn’t much they can do on private and tribal lands. The critical habitat being proposed for the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse is located in 12 different counties spread across Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Two of those locations include La Plata County where the species has been documented. One follows the Florida River for 8.4 miles. This habitat is mostly on private lands, with some Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. The second location is located just west of Sambrito Creek. This occupied critical habitat is located immediately south of Archuleta county Road 977.
The USFWS must make a decision about listing the species on the Endangered Species list by June of 2014. In the meantime, what can you do to help protect these endangered critters? Since beavers build damns that help create healthy riparian habitats for the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, preserve and protect the beaver population. In addition, if you own cattle, look into some creative cattle grazing practices to ensure that they don’t totally destroy the riparian habitat. The leading cause of species endangerment and extinction worldwide is habitat loss. For that reason, the most important thing you can do to help the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse is help protect that habitat. This can be done effectively even in small ways, like avoiding off-road four wheel driving and camping in riparian habitats, and educating others. For more information about this species please contact Ecosphere Environmental Services.
I didn’t know much about this mouse until I did my internship at Ecosphere Environmental Services for three weeks in March. While interning, I learned that this mouse actually has some pretty cool and unique features.
For example, did you know it can jump three feet, which is ten times the length of its body? It also has elongated feet and a long tail that help propel it in the water.
While you might think a mouse in your home is quite common and shouldn’t be listed as endangered, this specific species is becoming rarer and relies on our unique riparian habitats in the Southwest to survive. The scrub-shrub wetlands that surround us are extremely important for New Mexico meadow jumping mice because they hibernate 9 months out of the year, and need to stock up on seeds, bugs, and slugs to provide them with enough fuel to last the whole winter. Riparian habitats provide a lot of rich food very close to the nests.
Riparian areas (where the land borders streams/rivers and provides tall vegetation) include only 1% of all of the land in the Southwest. These areas are threatened from grazing by cattle. Climate change, agricultural water use, off-roading, camping, and beaver removal are other factors that also degrade the riparian habitat.
While the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) tries to protect the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse on federal lands, by listing it on the Endangered Species list, there isn’t much they can do on private and tribal lands. The critical habitat being proposed for the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse is located in 12 different counties spread across Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Two of those locations include La Plata County where the species has been documented. One follows the Florida River for 8.4 miles. This habitat is mostly on private lands, with some Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. The second location is located just west of Sambrito Creek. This occupied critical habitat is located immediately south of Archuleta county Road 977.
The USFWS must make a decision about listing the species on the Endangered Species list by June of 2014. In the meantime, what can you do to help protect these endangered critters? Since beavers build damns that help create healthy riparian habitats for the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, preserve and protect the beaver population. In addition, if you own cattle, look into some creative cattle grazing practices to ensure that they don’t totally destroy the riparian habitat. The leading cause of species endangerment and extinction worldwide is habitat loss. For that reason, the most important thing you can do to help the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse is help protect that habitat. This can be done effectively even in small ways, like avoiding off-road four wheel driving and camping in riparian habitats, and educating others. For more information about this species please contact Ecosphere Environmental Services.