(aka Botta's Pocket Gopher)
Mammals Around Las Vegas, Wildlife Around Las Vegas
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Description: Valley Pocket Gophers (Thomomys bottae) are medium sized, gray-brown (buffy) rodents without any particular marks on the fur. The head and body are 5-6 inches long, and the naked tail is about is 2-3 inches long. Similar to kangaroo rats, they have external, fur-lined cheek pouches. Gophers live underground and create "gopher mounds" with the dirt they excavate from their burrows; they usually mound the dirt up over the burrow entrance. Taxonomy: Order Rodentia, Family Geomyidae. This species lives at almost all elevations in the deserts and mountains around Las Vegas. They occur from the Lower Sonoran (Creosote-Bursage Flats) Life Zone up to at least 9,000 feet in the Hudsonian (Bristlecone Pine Forest) Life Zone in the Spring Mountains. Look for them anywhere gopher mounds are found -- but don't expect to see one! Around Las Vegas area, this is the only species of gopher. |
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 Perhaps looking around for danger? |
 Peek-a-boo! |
 This gopher along the boardwalk at Calico Basin had a hole that came up under deep leaves and sticks. We heard it rustling in the leaves while bird watching. |
 Gophers create "gopher mounds" using dirt excavated from burrows. They usually close the burrow entrance to prevent snakes and other unwanted visitors from venturing into their underground chambers. |
 Old gopher mounds in open Pinyon-Juniper forest |
 Old gopher mounds in open Pinyon-Juniper forest |
 New and old gopher mounds in open Pinyon-Juniper forest |
 For contrast: old ant hill in open Pinyon-Juniper forest |
 Valley Pocket Gopher mounds in a city park |
 Gopher mounds in a city park |
 Valley Pocket Gopher mounds in a high mountain meadow |
 Valley Pocket Gopher mounds in a high mountain meadow |
Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
; Last updated 220815
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