San Jose Island Kangaroo Rat
Encyclopedia
The San Jose Island Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys merriami insularis) is a subspecies of rodent
in the family Heteromyidae
. It is endemic to Mexico
, where it is found only on San José Island
off the east coast of Baja California Sur
. Its natural habitat
is hot desert
s. It is threatened by habitat degradation by feral goat
s, and predation by feral cat
s.
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
in the family Heteromyidae
Heteromyidae
The family of rodents that include kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice and rock pocket mice is the Heteromyidae family. Most heteromyids live in complex burrows within the deserts and grasslands of western North America, though species within the Heteromys and Liomys genera are also found in forests and...
. It is endemic to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, where it is found only on San José Island
Isla San José (Baja California Sur)
Isla San José is an island in the Gulf of California, off the east coast of the Baja California peninsula. Located some 60 km north of the city of La Paz, it belongs politically to the Mexican state of Baja California Sur and is part of the Municipality of La Paz...
off the east coast of Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...
. Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
is hot desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
s. It is threatened by habitat degradation by feral goat
Feral goat
The feral goat is the domestic goat when it has become established in the wild. Feral goats occur in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Great Britain, Hawaii, the Galapagos and in many other parts of the world...
s, and predation by feral cat
Feral cat
A feral cat is a descendant of a domesticated cat that has returned to the wild. It is distinguished from a stray cat, which is a pet cat that has been lost or abandoned, while feral cats are born in the wild; the offspring of a stray cat can be considered feral if born in the wild.In many parts of...
s.