Petition to list the Mohave Ground Squirrel - Defenders of Wildlife

Petition to list the Mohave ground squirrel
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. NOTICE OF PETITION................................................................................................4
II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...........................................................................................6
III. SYSTEMATICS........................................................................................................6
A. Species Description...................................................................................................6
B. Taxonomy.................................................................................................................6
C. Distribution...............................................................................................................7
IV. NATURAL HISTORY..............................................................................................9
A. Habitat Requirements................................................................................................9
B. Home Range and Movements..................................................................................10
C. Food Habits.............................................................................................................11
D. Seasonal and Daily Activity.....................................................................................13
E. Social Behavior.......................................................................................................14
F. Reproduction...........................................................................................................14
G. Interaction of Mohave and Antelope Ground Squirrels ............................................15
H. Predators.................................................................................................................15
V. POPULATION STATUS AND TREND.....................................................................16
VI. APPLICABILITY OF LISTING FACTORS...........................................................18
A. Present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of habitat or range...18
i. Curtailment of Range ..............................................................................................18
ii. Habitat Destruction.................................................................................................19
Urban and Rural Development ................................................................................19
Agricultural Development........................................................................................20
Military Operations .................................................................................................20
Energy Production...................................................................................................21
Transportation.........................................................................................................22
iii. Habitat Degradation...............................................................................................22
Off-highway vehicle use...........................................................................................22
Livestock Grazing....................................................................................................24
Habitat Fragmentation ............................................................................................25
Domestic Animal Predation.....................................................................................25
Rodenticides/ Pesticides ..........................................................................................25
Summary .....................................................................................................................26
B. Inadequacy of Existing Mechanisms........................................................................26
State Laws and Regulations.........................................................................................26
Federal status..............................................................................................................27
The West Mojave HCP ................................................................................................28
C. Over-utilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes....30
D. Disease or predation................................................................................................31
E. Other natural or anthropogenic factors.....................................................................31
VII. LITERATURE CITED............................................................................................32
TABLES
TABLE 1. Mohave Ground Squirrel GIS Results – Threats………………………………...38
TABLE 2. Ownership and Protected Status of Mohave Ground Squirrel Range……………39