What is a pocket gopher?
The Wyoming pocket gopher is a small, light-colored burrowing rodent that has is 6 to 8 inches in length and weighs just a couple of ounces. The species is characterized by strong limbs with long nails used for digging a diet composed primarily of roots, stems, forbs and grasses. The animal has small ears, small eyes and fur-lined cheek pouches used to carry food. Wyoming pocket gophers live most of their lives in burrow systems and underground tunnels. The animal is sometimes confused with small moles because of their similar burrowing activities. Very little is known about Wyoming pocket gopher, and estimates about its distribution, ecology and populations are based on a few museum records and anecdotal reports from 30 years ago or more. The distribution of the species is believed to be restricted to Sweetwater and Carbon counties, with possible occurrence in northern Colorado. Scientists believe Wyoming pocket gophers likely do not live past two breeding seasons. The also reproduce
