The salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris), also known as the red-bellied harvest mouse and some times called as saltmarsh harvest mouse, is an endangered rodent endemic to the San Francisco Bay Area salt marshes in California. There are two distinct subspecies, both endangered and listed together on federal and state endangered species lists. The northern subspecies (Reithrodontomys raviventris halicoetes) is lighter in color and inhabits the northern marshes of the bay, and the southern subspecies (Reithrodontomys raviventris raviventris) lives in the East and South Bay marshes. They are both quite similar in appearance to their parent species, the Western harvest mouse. Its endangered designation is due to its limited range, historic decline in population and continuing threat of habitat loss due to development encroachment at the perimeter of San Francisco Bay.
Read more about Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse: Description and Comparison To Similar Species, Lifestyle, Habitat, Range, Conservation, Reference in 2009 Economic Stimulus Debate
Famous quotes containing the words harvest mouse, salt, harvest and/or mouse:
“A harvest mouse goes scampering by,
With silver claws and silver eye;
And moveless fish in the water gleam,
By silver reeds in a silver stream.”
—Walter De La Mare (1873–1956)
“... the darkness,
Inviting to this house
Air from a field, air from a salt grave ...”
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)
“The prairies were dust. Day after day, summer after summer, the scorching winds blew the dust and the sun was brassy in a yellow sky. Crop after crop failed. Again and again the barren land must be mortgaged for taxes and food and next year’s seed. The agony of hope ended when there was not harvest and no more credit, no money to pay interest and taxes; the banker took the land. Then the bank failed.”
—Rose Wilder Lane (1886–1968)
“When out an old mouse bolted in the wheats
With all her young ones hanging at her teats;”
—John Clare (1793–1864)