Mazama Pocket Gopher
Overview
The Mazama pocket gopher (Thomomys mazama) is a regional species found only in western Washington, western Oregon, and northern California. In Washington specifically, the Mazama pocket gopher is represented by three surviving subspecies: T.m.yelmensis, T.m. couchi, and T.m. melanops. The yelmensis subspecies can be found on the remnants of prairies in Pierce County and Thurston County; the couchi subspecies can be found on a few grasslands in Mason County; and the melanopssubspecies can be found on a few meadows in Olympic National Park.
Pocket gophers have historically played an important role in the ecology of the open meadows, prairies, and grasslands in the South Puget Sound area. Their burrows are usually 2-3 ½ inches in diameter and 4-12 inches below ground, which helps to not only turn the soil, but also increase plant diversity and provide refuge for smaller animals. Pocket gophers are also an important prey species for hawks, owls, and other predators typically found in prairie habitats. Unfortunately, their population is declining due to habitat loss from development. The Mazama pocket gopher has been a candidate for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act since 2002 but still remains in the threatened stage, which puts it at risk for local extinction. Trapping and attacks by domestic animals have also stopped the Mazama pocket gopher from recolonizing after local extinctions occur.
Wolf Haven’s Role
The Patrick Vance Dunn Memorial Prairie at Wolf Haven is located between Rocky Prairie and West Rocky Prairie. This spatial relationship benefits species such as the Western bluebird and butterflies that require movement between protected areas and grasslands. Wolf Haven’s prairie is characterized by a full mosaic of habitat types, ranging from wetlands and woodlands to larger grassland and Mima mound components. These traits foster unique opportunities for the restoration and reintroduction of regionally rare or disturbed species, such as the Mazama pocket gopher.
Wolf Haven is the only relocation site for the Mazama pocket gopher in western Washington. Since 2006, over 332 Mazama pocket gophers have been relocated from sites under development to the mounds on Wolf Haven’s prairie thanks to ongoing conservation efforts, and our prairie is surveyed every three years to assess how the population is faring.
