29 July 2015

ID for some mammals from California/Arizona – part 2

Here is part 2 of my unidentified mammals.

1. Yosemite, Tamarack Flat Campground. Deer mouse?

2015_06_04 IMG_4596 21u04 Deermouse Mojave N.P.

2. Kangaroo rat from Mojave National Preserve (near Mid Hills Campground). Desert kangaroo rat?

2015_06_04 IMG_4608 22u36 Desert kangaroo rat Mojave N.P.

3. A gopher from the Black-footed ferrets near Seligman. Botta’s pocket gopher (photo taken with my mobile phone, since I forgot to take my cameras…)?

2015_06_05 23u07 Botta's pocket gopher Seligman

4. A rat from Madera Canyon. I saw several of these at the feeders of Santa Rita Lodge. Some kind of woodrat?

2015_06_10 IMG_4126 6u15 rat Madera Canyon

5. Another rat from Madera Canyon (maybe the same species as the previous one?). These were seen near the Proctor Road Parking Area.

2015_06_10 IMG_4222 9u40 rat Madera Canyon

6. Kangaroo rat from Borrego Palm Canyon Campground in Anza Borrego. Dulzura is the one seen there, so I guess the photo shows this species?

2015_06_11 IMG_5969 21u47 Dulzura kangaroo rat Anza Borrego

7. Another one from the same location.

2015_06_11 IMG_5971 23u23 Dulzura kangaroo rat Anza Borrego

8. A kangaroo rat from Joshua Tree, near Hidden Valley Campground. Desert?

2015_06_12 IMG_6081 21u20 Desert kangaroo rat Joshua Tree N.P.

And to end some kangaroo rats from Carrizo Plain. I mainly drove the road to Selby Campground, and saw quite some k-rats. I found these difficult to ID however… I didn’t see any foxes or antelope squirrels in Carrizo.

9. Giant kangaroo rat?

2015_06_16 IMG_6836 21u20 Giant kangaroo rat Carrizo Plain N.M.

10. Another Giant?

2015_06_16 IMG_6847 23u32 Giant kangaroo rat Carrizo Plain N.M.

11. Giant too?

2015_06_17 IMG_6862 00u00 Giant kangaroo rat Carrizo Plain N.M.

12. The last one, could this be a San Joaquin kangaroo rat?

2015_06_16 IMG_6838 22u58 San Joaquin kangaroo rat Carrizo Plain N.M.

Thanks a lot for any help!

Simon

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6 Comments

  • 29 July 2015
    Jon Hall

    Hi Simon, 4 & 5 are Yellow-nosed Cotton Rats, when I have some time I will look at the other pictures though that won’t be for a few days and I expect others will be able to help before that.

    • 29 July 2015
      simonfeys

      Thanks Jon! I had noted them as that species first (because of the yellow :-)), but when looking in my field guide I thought they didn’t look like it at all… Thanks a lot!

  • 29 July 2015
    vdinets

    #1 is Deer Mouse; #2 is Merriam’s (Desert would have white tail tip); #3 got to be Botta’s since it’s the only one there; #6 is likely Dulzura (note longer, more pointed ears than in Merriam’s); #7 can be either of the two, but probably Merriam’s; #8 is possibly Agile (similar to Dulzura but slightly darker; both occur in JT); 9-11 sure look like Giant; #12 is a baby Giant (San Joaquin would have smaller ears and less black tail tip).

    • 29 July 2015
      simonfeys

      Thanks for these too, I messed up the k-rats, I will have to go back one day to really get into their identification… Happy with the Giants, I saw about 15 of them on the road to Selby campground. Good to see there were some babies around too! I probably saw San Joaquins too, but have no pictures of them.

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