Mammals Around Las Vegas, Wildlife Around Las Vegas
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Description: Fulvus Pocket Gopher (Megascapheus fulvus) 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. Formerly Valley Pocket Gophers (Thomomys bottae). Botta's Pocket Gopher. 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! This is the only species of gopher around Las Vegas. |
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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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