Photo by: USFWS
San Bernardino Kangaroo Rat
Dipodomys merriami parvus
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Endangered
(fws.gov)
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U.S. Endangered Species Act
(fws.gov)
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Ongoing threats include habitat loss through fragmentation and degradation, as well as climate change and the disruption/alterations of natural hydrological processes (fws.gov).
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There are 3 disjunct areas in San Bernardino and Riverside counties that this species inhabits (along the upper Santa Ana River wash, Lytle and Cajon washes, and the San Jacinto River) (fws.gov).
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They inhabit scattered, isolated patches of alluvial sage-scrub. San Bernardino kangaroo rats eat green vegetation, seeds, and invertebrates, specifically insects (fws.gov).
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There is an overall lack of research for the San Bernardino kangaroo rat. The first step for research regarding their recovery would be assessing their gene flow between populations. This is important for small rodent species as looking at their movement, specifically their preferences, could help to see where reproduction happens the most and determining areas that need more conservation.
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San Bernardino kangaroo rats have an overall yellowish-brown color. They are incredibly small, roughly 3.7 inches in body length (fws.org). They can look very similar to some mouse species, such as pocket mice, in terms of colors and shape. Pocket mice, however, are smaller and use all 4 limbs to walk. San Bernardino kangaroo rats are bipedal and use only the 2 hind feet for walking, as their front limbs are generally short (animaldiversity.org).
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