Nearly-Extinct Animal Discovered in California Nature Preserve
The kangaroo rat is a small, nearly-extinct rodent recently spotted in the Bay Area's Santa Clara County. This is the first time this animal has been seen since 1947, so it's exciting for the researchers and wildlife biologists who went out to find them.
Speculation began in 2019 when an independent researcher reported a kangaroo rat sighting to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. These animals were thought to live in only one spot on Earth--Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton, California--but this year, their presence was confirmed.
Wow! Even though this cute critter is called the kangaroo rat, it's neither related to a kangaroo nor a rat. It's actually a relative of the chipmunk, but it's not nearly as common.
Not only were these animals seen for the first time in over half a century, but now biologists are learning more about their habitat and behaviors, too.
Before this exciting discovery, kangaroo rats had only been seen in one coastal state park, but now we know that they also call Sierra Azul Preserve home. This Open Space preserve lies within the Santa Cruz Mountains, just to the south of San Jose and Silicon Valley.
A "collaborative team from UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, and CalPoly San Luis Obisbo" set out earlier this year to learn more about this tiny rodent species. Now that several individuals were discovered, a years-long habitation and population monitoring plan has been tentatively set in place. The hope is that researchers can learn more about this keystone species and their important effects on the California ecosystem. This plan is still in its early stages, but that first step is already accomplished.
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