The Nature of Kern County

Kingdom - ANIMALIA     Phylum - CHORDATA     Subphylum - VERTEBRATA     Class - MAMMALIA     Order - RODENTIA     Family - Muridae 

Genus - Peromyscus species epithet - maniculatus subspecies epithet - gambelii or sonoriensis

Description: Length 148 - 200mm. Tail 60-90 mm

Brownish gray above, white below. White feet. Long bicolored tail.

Habitat: Occurs in any open areas. Found throughout Kern County. Range unclear, museum records have both subspecies overlapping. A general trend though has P. m. gambelii in drier more northern sections of the valley and  in the Piutes and P. m. sonoriensis in the southern sections of the valley south of the Kern River and up through the Tehachapis and Sierras, this subspecies appears to occur in wetter areas. More investigation is needed to determine if there is actually a difference in subspecies.

Conservation comments: The Deer Mouse has been the most prevalent carrier of the deadly Hanta Virus. Extreme caution should be maintained when handling these animals or their waste. Always wear at least a mask when cleaning out garages and storage sheds. Although other species have been found to carry the disease, the deer mouse is the only species known to transmit the disease to humans.

Status: This is the most common mouse in Kern County. This common resident is a major pest to agriculture. The deer mouse is a very important prey species for many birds and carnivores.