California kangaroo rat


The California kangaroo rat is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. However, populations are declining, having not fully recovered after the drought in California from 2013-2015 destroyed their habitat and changed it into desert.

Distribution

The California kangaroo rat is endemic to western North America, found in Northern California and southern Oregon. Its distribution is from the Sierra Nevada foothills to Suisun Bay, and northwards in the California Coast Ranges to the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. California's Kangaroo Mountain was likely named after the California kangaroo rat.
It is an IUCN listed Least Concern species, due to the size of its distribution range.

Taxonomy

Dipodomys californicus was formerly included as a subspecies of Dipodomys heermanni, but differs enough in chromosomal and biochemical characteristics to warrant being recognized as a distinct species.