Jumping Meadow Mouse | Slide Mouse
A small rodent with elongated hind feet and a distinctively long tail which is 1 times the total body length.
Jumping meadow mouse. Its range extends from the atlantic coast in the east to the great plains west and from the arctic tree lines in canada and alaska to the north and georgia alabama arizona and new mexico to the south. The mice themselves are generally solitary but when in contact are rarely antagonistic and fighting is uncommon. The preble s meadow jumping mouse is a rare mouse designated by the united states fish and wildlife service as a threatened species under the endangered species act. The federal threatened species designation prohibits the unlawful take of the preble s meadow jumping mouse or its habitat.
Meadow jumping mouse photo by usfws. The meadow jumping mouse zapus hudsonius is the most widely distributed mouse in the subfamily zapodinae. The preble s meadow jumping mouse zapus hudonius preblei preble s or pmjm is a small mammal approximately 9 inches in length with large hind feet adapted for jumping a long bicolor tail which accounts for 60 of its length and a distinct dark stripe down the middle of its back bordered on either side by gray to orange brown fur. They are recognized by their very long tails and their long hind feet.
They are small and slender and contrast with woodland jumping mice because their tail is not white tipped tail and they are typically duller in color. It is found nowhere else in the world. Weight 12 28 g 0 5 1 0 oz long tailed mouse with hind legs conspicuously longer than forelimbs and large hind feet after linzey 1998. The meadow jumping mouse is the mouse in the subfamily zapodinae with the widest distribution.
Adults have a dor sal dark or olive brown band which is paler in ju ve niles. Long tail 110 150 mm 4 4 6 0 in distinctly bi colored and sparsely haired. Meadow jump ing mice are rec og nized for their ex tremely long tails and long hind feet. Small and slen der they dif fer from wood land jump ing mice in that they do not have a white tipped tail and are gen er ally duller in color.
They make a squeaking or sucking noise directly after birth and a loud chirping noise if they are fighting. The meadow jumping mouse is a nocturnal mammal. Upper body coloration usually brown to yellowish brown laterally. Preble s meadow jumping mouse zapus hudsonius preblei is a subspecies of meadow jumping mouse endemic to the upland habitats of colorado and wyoming in north america.
The preble s meadow jumping mouse zapus hudonius preblei preble s or pmjm is a small mammal approximately 9 inches in length with large hind feet adapted for jumping a long bicolor tail which accounts for 60 of its length and a distinct dark stripe down the middle of its back bordered on either side by gray. Where does the mouse live. It is listed as threatened under the united states endangered species act.