ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROFILE

PROTECTION STATUS: Endangered

YEAR PLACED ON LIST: 1994

CRITICAL HABITAT: None

RECOVERY PLAN: 1998

RANGE: Endemic to coastal southwestern California; historically occurred at a minimum of eight locales encompassing 29 sites from Los Angeles County south to San Diego County

THREATS: Severe and continuing loss of habitat to urban and agricultural use; remaining population imminently threatened by land development, fuel modification for fire protection, and domestic- and feral-cat predation

POPULATION TREND: The population of the Pacific pocket mouse has declined markedly from severe and continuing loss of habitat due to urban and agricultural expansion. NatureServe notes that the “remaining population consists of a few dozen individuals.”

Photo by Cheryl S. Brehme, USGS