Distinguishing Features
The northern pocket gopher is a
thickset short-tailed rodent about 20 cm long. It has small rounded
ears, small eyes, blunt face, short legs and short, thick tail.
The large fur-lined cheek pouches are open on the side of the face,
not into the mouth as most squirrel pouches do. The back is generally
pale brown, flanks grey, and belly is buffy grey. The chin is usually
white with irregular white patches on the throat and chest. There
is a dark grey patch about each ear. Average weight of males is
150 grams, females 127 grams (Banfield. 1974).
Distribution
Columbia Basin: Creston Valley -
see below
British Columbia: This subspecies
is restricted to an area less than 10 km2 near Wynndel, just north
of Creston (Fraker et al. 1997).
Global: Restricted to an area less
than 10 km2 near Wynndel, in the Creston Valley of British Columbia
(Fraker et al. 1997).
Habitat
The Northern Pocket Gopher is a
solitary herbivore that prefers deep soils along streams and in
cultivated fields.
Threats
The population size is unknown,
but may be smaller than 1000. This species is relatively common
within its small range, implying stable numbers. Most of the land
within this pocket gopher's range is privately owned. Farmers, orchardists,
and gardeners generally regard northern Pocket Gophers as pests.
They can cause significant damage to crops and gardens, and consequently
they are actively trapped. All Northern Pocket Gophers are listed
under Schedule B of the Wildlife Act, which permits them to be killed
to protect property. Despite this, T. t. segregatus has persisted
in occupying the area where they were first discovered. Thus, they
appear less vulnerable than their small range and limited numbers
would imply (Cannings et al. 1999).
Biology
The biology of this species has not been studied.
It can carry food such as roots of forbs, grasses, stems, bulbs,
and tubers in its cheek pouches and store them in chambers underground
or in snow. It is active throughout the year, but becomes inactive
for brief periods in winter and in midsummer. Mating usually occurs
from March to mid-June. After a 19-20 day gestation period, a litter
of 4-7 is born. The young disperse from the natal burrow at about
two months of age (Cannings et al. 1999).
