Summary ²

Botta’s pocket gophers, Thomomys bottae, are found in the western United States as far north as Oregon with a southern extent stretching into Mexico (1). In California, they are present statewide, excluding areas of high elevation in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges (1)(2). Botta’s pocket gophers spend most of their lives underground and generally inhabit open areas, valleys, deserts, mountain slopes, forests, woodlands, and chaparral (3). They have a short tail, large front teeth, and clawed paws. Their fur tends to match soil color and may be dark brown, red-brown, yellow-brown, or pale gray, occasionally with white patches on the underside (4). Males are typically larger than females, and body length ranges from 15.5 to 39.5 cm (6.1–15.6 in) (5).

Botta’s pocket gophers create complex underground burrows that consist of tunnels and chambers with different purposes; some tunnels go to plant roots while other chambers are used for storage, defecation, or nesting (3). Burrow systems are usually 1–3 m (3.3–9.4 ft) below the surface (5). While Botta’s pocket gophers typically eat the underground parts of plants, such as roots, bulbs, seeds, and tubers, they also forage above ground for plant material (2). When foraging, Botta’s pocket gophers use their cheek pouches to store and carry food (5).

Coal Oil Point Reserve Facts ²

At Coal Oil Point Reserve, Botta’s pocket gophers occur in the dune, grassland, coastal scrub, and woodland habitats. They are common at the reserve.

Sources ²

1. Belfiore, Liu, L., & Moritz, C. (2008). Multilocus Phylogenetics of a Rapid Radiation in the Genus Thomomys (Rodentia: Geomyidae). Systematic Biology, 57(2), 294–310. https://doi.org/10.1080/10635150802044011
2. Jameson, E. W., Jr., & Peeters, H. J. (2004). Mammals of California (Revised ed.). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
3. Jones, C. A. & Baxter, C. N. (2004). Thomomys bottae. Mammalian Species, 742(742), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1644/742
   

4. Kays, R. W., & Wilson, D. E. (2009). Mammals of North America (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press.
   Greene, N. (1999). Thomomys bottae. Animal Diversity Web. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Thomomys_bottae/

Sources and Credits

1. (c) stonebird, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonebird/3742675875/
2. (c) copr, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

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