Pocket gophers, commonly referred to simply as gophers, are

burrowing An eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of s ...

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia ( ), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and Mandible, lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal specie ...

s of the family Geomyidae. The roughly 41 speciesSearch results for "Geomyidae" on th
ASM Mammal Diversity Database
are all

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to North and Central America. They are commonly known for their extensive tunneling activities and their ability to destroy farms and gardens. The name "pocket gopher" on its own may refer to any of a number of

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

within the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Geomyidae. These are the "true" gophers, but several

ground squirrel Ground squirrels are rodents of the squirrel family (Sciuridae) that generally live on the ground or in burrows, rather than in trees like the tree squirrels. The term is most often used for the medium-sized ground squirrels, as the larger ones ar ...

s in the distantly related family

Sciuridae Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae (), a family that includes small or medium-sized rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrel ...

are often called "gophers", as well. The origin of the word "gopher" is uncertain; the French , meaning

waffle A waffle is a dish made from leavened Batter (cooking), batter or dough that is cooked between two plates that are patterned to give a characteristic size, shape, and surface impression. There are many variations based on the type of waffle iron ...

, has been suggested, on account of the gopher tunnels resembling the

honeycomb A honeycomb is a mass of Triangular prismatic honeycomb#Hexagonal prismatic honeycomb, hexagonal prismatic cells built from beeswax by honey bees in their beehive, nests to contain their brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae) and stores of honey and pol ...

-like pattern of holes in a waffle; another suggestion is that the word is of

Muskogean Muskogean ( ; also Muskhogean) is a language family spoken in the Southeastern United States. Members of the family are Indigenous Languages of the Americas. Typologically, Muskogean languages are highly synthetic and agglutinative. One docume ...

origin.

Description

Pocket gophers weigh around , and are about in body length, with a tail long. A few species reach weights approaching . Within any particular gopher species, the males are larger than the females, and can be nearly double their weight. Average lifespans are one to three years. The maximum lifespan for the pocket gopher is about five years. Some gophers, such as those in the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

Geomys The genus ''Geomys'' contains 12 extant species of pocket gophersSearch results for "''Geomys''" on thASM Mammal Diversity Database often collectively referred to as the eastern pocket gophers. Like all pocket gophers, members of this genus are ...

'', have lifespans that have been documented as up to seven years in the wild. Most gophers have brown fur that often closely matches the color of the

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, water, and organisms that together support the life of plants and soil organisms. Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from ''soil'' by re ...

in which they live. Their most characteristic features are their large

cheek The cheeks () constitute the area of the face below the eyes and between the nose and the left or right ear. ''Buccal'' means relating to the cheek. In humans, the region is innervated by the buccal nerve. The area between the inside of th ...

pouches, from which the word "pocket" in their name derives. These pouches are fur-lined, can be turned inside out, and extend from the side of the mouth well back onto the shoulders. Gophers have small eyes and a short, hairy tail, which they use to feel around tunnels when they walk backwards. Pocket gophers have often been found to carry external

parasites Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The en ...

including, most commonly, lice, but also ticks, fleas, and mites. Common predators of the gopher include

weasel Weasels are mammals of the genus ''Mustela'' of the family Mustelidae. The genus ''Mustela'' includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets, and European mink. Members of this genus are small, active predators, with long and slend ...

snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

s, and

hawk Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are very widely distributed and are found on all continents, except Antarctica. The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and others. This ...

Behavior

All pocket gophers create a network of

tunnel A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...

systems that provide protection and a means of collecting food. They are larder hoarders, and their cheek pouches are used for transporting food back to their burrows. Gophers can collect large hoards. Unlike

s, gophers do not live in large communities and seldom find themselves above ground. Tunnel entrances can be identified by small piles of loose soil covering the opening. Burrows are in many areas where the soil is softer and easily tunneled. Gophers often visit vegetable gardens, lawns, or farms, as they like moist soil (see

Soil biomantle The soil biomantle can be described and defined in several ways. Most simply, the soil biomantle is the organic-rich bioturbated upper part of the soil, including the topsoil where most biota live, reproduce, die, and become assimilated. The bioman ...

). This has led to their frequent treatment as

pests PESTS was an anonymous American activist group formed in 1986 to critique racism, tokenism, and exclusion in the art world. PESTS produced newsletters, posters, and other print material highlighting examples of discrimination in gallery represent ...

. Gophers eat plant roots, shrubs, and other vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, radishes, and any other vegetables with juice. Some species are considered agricultural pests. The resulting destruction of plant life then leaves the area a stretch of

denuded Denudation is the geological process in which moving water, ice, wind, and waves erode the Earth's surface, leading to a reduction in elevation and in relief of landforms and landscapes. Although the terms erosion and denudation are used interchang ...

soil. At the same time, the soil disturbance created by turning it over can lead to the early establishment of

ecological succession Ecological succession is the process of how species compositions change in an Community (ecology), ecological community over time. The two main categories of ecological succession are primary succession and secondary succession. Primary successi ...

communities A community is a Level of analysis, social unit (a group of people) with a shared socially-significant characteristic, such as place (geography), place, set of Norm (social), norms, culture, religion, values, Convention (norm), customs, or Ide ...

r-selected In ecology, selection theory relates to the selection of combinations of traits in an organism that trade off between quantity and quality of offspring. The focus on either an increased quantity of offspring at the expense of reduced individua ...

and other ruderal plant species. The stashing and subsequent decomposition of plant material in the gophers' larder can produce deep fertilization of the soil. Pocket gophers are

solitary Solitary is the state of being alone or in solitude. The term may refer to: * ''Solitary'' (album), 2008 album by Don Dokken * ''Solitary'' (2020 film), a British sci-fi thriller film * ''Solitary'' (upcoming film), an American drama film * "S ...

outside of the

breeding season Seasonal breeders are animal species that successfully mate only during certain times of the year. These times of year allow for the optimization of survival of young due to factors such as ambient temperature, food and water availability, and ch ...

, aggressively maintaining

territories A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, belonging or connected to a particular country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually a geographic area which has not been granted the powers of self-government, ...

that vary in size depending on the resources available. Males and females may share some burrows and nesting chambers if their territories border each other, but in general, each pocket gopher inhabits its own individual tunnel system. Although they attempt to flee when threatened, they may attack other animals, including

cat The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...

s and humans, and can inflict serious bites with their long, sharp teeth. Depending on the species and local conditions, pocket gophers may have a specific annual breeding season, or may breed repeatedly through the year. Each litter typically consists of two to five young, although this may be much higher in some species. The young are born blind and helpless and are

weaned Weaning is the process of gradually introducing an infant human or other mammal to what will be its adult diet while withdrawing the supply of its mother's milk. In the UK, weaning primarily refers to the introduction of solid foods at 6 mont ...

when around 40 days old.

Control

''Geomys'' and ''Thomomys'' species are classed as "prohibited new organisms" under New Zealand's

Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO) is an Act of Parliament passed in New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and t ...

, preventing them from being imported into the country.

Classification

Much debate exists among

taxonomists In biology, taxonomy () is the scientific study of naming, defining ( circumscribing) and classifying groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics. Organisms are grouped into taxa (singular: taxon), and these groups are given ...

about which races of pocket gophers should be recognized as full species, and the following list cannot be regarded as definitive. * Family Geomyidae ** Genus ''

Cratogeomys ''Cratogeomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It was previously considered a subgenus of ''Pappogeomys''. All species are distributed in Mexico and the Southwest United States, with some species being found in both countries. It ...

''; some authors treat this genus as a subgenus of ''

Pappogeomys Buller's pocket gopher (''Pappogeomys bulleri'') is a species of gopher that is endemic to Mexico. Taxonomy It is monotypic within the genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in ...

''. *** Yellow-faced pocket gopher (''Cratogeomys castanops'') ***

Oriental Basin pocket gopher The Oriental Basin pocket gopher (''Cratogeomys fulvescens'') is a species of pocket gopher which is endemic to Mexico. It was first described in 1895 by Clinton Hart Merriam. It was considered to be a subspecies of Merriam's pocket gopher (''Cr ...

(''C. fulvescens'') *** Smoky pocket gopher (''C. fumosus'') *** Goldman's pocket gopher (''C. goldmani'') ***

Merriam's pocket gopher Merriam's pocket gopher (''Cratogeomys merriami'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is Endemism, endemic to Mexico, where it is found in the area of the Valley of Mexico and the Toluca Valley, Valley of Toluca at elevations from ...

(''C. merriami'') ***

Perote pocket gopher The Perote pocket gopher (''Cratogeomys perotensis''), or Cofre de Perote pocket gopher, is a species of pocket gopher in the family Geomyidae. Range Endemic to Mexico, it is found in the mountains from southern Hildalgo south through Puebla ...

(''C. perotensis'') *** Volcan de Toluca pocket gopher (''C. planiceps)'' ** Genus ''

'' – eastern pocket gophers; principally live in the southwestern United States, east of the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada ( ) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primari ...

mountains *** Desert pocket gopher (''Geomys arenarius'') *** Attwater's pocket gopher (''G. attwateri'') *** Baird's pocket gopher (''G. breviceps'') ***

Plains pocket gopher The plains pocket gopher (''Geomys bursarius'') is one of 35 species of pocket gophers, so named in reference to their externally located, fur-lined cheek pouches. They are burrowing animals, found in grasslands and agricultural land across the G ...

(''G. bursarius'') ***

Hall's pocket gopher ''Geomys jugossicularis'', also known as Hall's pocket gopher and Colorado pocket gopher, is a species of pocket gopher native to the western United States (Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska). Little is known of its behavior or ecology aside from ty ...

(''G. jugossicularis)'' ***

Knox Jones's pocket gopher Knox Jones's pocket gopher (''Geomys knoxjonesi'') is a species of pocket gopher found in Texas and New Mexico. This species is named for Dr. J. Knox Jones Jr. (1929–1992), a prolific mammalogist at Texas Tech University. It is a relatively s ...

(''G. knoxjonesi'') ***

Sand Hills pocket gopher ''Geomys lutescens'', also known as the Sand Hills pocket gopher, is a species of pocket gopher native to the western United States (Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, and Nebraska). It is a fossorial rodent that inhabits the Mississippi basin. The ...

(''G. lutescens)'' ***

Texas pocket gopher The Texas pocket gopher (''Geomys personatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in Tamaulipas in Mexico and in Texas in the United States. Description Males grow to a length of about including a tail of about . F ...

(''G. personatus'') *** Southeastern pocket gopher (''G. pinetis'') ***

Strecker's pocket gopher ''Geomys streckeri'', also known as Strecker's pocket gopher, is a species of pocket gopher found in Texas. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Texas pocket gopher. Chromosomal analyses have proven this species to be distinct. Analysis ...

(''G. streckeri)'' *** Central Texas pocket gopher (''G. texensis'') ***

Tropical pocket gopher The tropical pocket gopher (''Geomys tropicalis'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic to Mexico. Its natural habitat is hot deserts. It is threatened by habitat loss. Description The tropical pocket gopher is cinnamon ...

(''G. tropicalis'') ** Genus ''

Heterogeomys ''Heterogeomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Geomyidae, found in Mexico, Central America and Colombia. ''Heterogeomys'' are a small genus of rodents commonly known as pocket gophers, though the term applies to all genera within the famil ...

'' – giant pocket gophers or taltuzas; live in Mexico, Central America, and Colombia; some authors treat this genus as a subgenus of ''

Orthogeomys The giant pocket gopher (''Orthogeomys grandis''), also known as the Oaxacan pocket gopher, is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. It is the type species of the genus ''Orthoge ...

''. ***

Chiriqui pocket gopher The Chiriqui pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys cavator'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama. Some authors classify it in the genus '' Orthogeomys'', but recent research has allowed this and its rela ...

(''Heterogeomys cavator'') ***

Cherrie's pocket gopher Cherrie's pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys cherriei'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. It is threatened by habitat loss. Some authors classify it in the genus '' Orthogeomys'', but ...

(''H. cherriei'') ***

Darien pocket gopher The Darien pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys dariensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is occurs in Panama and Colombia. Some authors classify it in the genus '' Orthogeomys'', but later research has allowed this and its relate ...

(''H. dariensis'') ***

Variable pocket gopher The variable pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys heterodus'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic to Costa Rica, usually being found in grasslands and tropical forests at higher altitudes, up to 8,000 feet. It is threatened ...

(''H. heterodus'') ***

Hispid pocket gopher The hispid pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys hispidus'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. Some authors classify it in the genus '' Orthogeomys'', but recent research has allowed ...

(''H. hispidus'') ***

Big pocket gopher The big pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys lanius'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic to Veracruz state in eastern Mexico. It has only been found on the southeastern slopes of Pico de Orizaba, at elevations of . Some aut ...

(''H. lanius'') ***

Underwood's pocket gopher Underwood's pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys underwoodi'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic to Costa Rica. Some authors classify it in the genus '' Orthogeomys'', but recent research has allowed this and its related spec ...

(''H. underwoodi'') ** Genus ''

''; live in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; *** Giant pocket gopher (''O. grandis'') ** Genus ''

''; live in Mexico ***

Buller's pocket gopher Buller's pocket gopher (''Pappogeomys bulleri'') is a species of gopher that is endemic to Mexico. Taxonomy It is monotypic within the genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in ...

(''P. bulleri'') ** Genus '' Thomomys'' – western pocket gophers; widely distributed in North America, extending into the northwestern US, Canada, and the southeastern US. *** Black-and-Brown pocket gopher (''T. atrovarius)'' ***

Botta's pocket gopher Botta's pocket gopher (''Thomomys bottae'') is a pocket gopher native to western North America. It is also known in some areas as valley pocket gopher, particularly in California. Both the specific and common names of this species honor Paul-Émi ...

(''T. bottae'') *** Camas pocket gopher (''T. bulbivorus'') *** Wyoming pocket gopher (''T. clusius'') *** Idaho pocket gopher (''T. idahoensis'') *** Mazama pocket gopher (''T. mazama'') *** Mountain pocket gopher (''T. monticola'') *** Nayar pocket gopher (''T. nayarensis)'' *** Sierra Madre Occidental pocket gopher (''T. sheldoni)'' ***

Northern pocket gopher The northern pocket gopher (''Thomomys talpoides'') is a small gopher species native to the western United States and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Manitoba. Description Northern pocket gophers have long ...

(''T. talpoides'') *** Townsend's pocket gopher (''T. townsendii'') *** Southern pocket gopher (''T. umbrinus'') ** Genus ''

Zygogeomys The Michoacan pocket gopher (''Zygogeomys trichopus'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Zygogeomys''. It is endemic to Mexico where its natural habitat is temperate, high-altitude forests. Its nu ...

'' ***

Michoacan pocket gopher The Michoacan pocket gopher (''Zygogeomys trichopus'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Zygogeomys''. It is endemic to Mexico where its natural habitat is temperate, high-altitude forests. Its nu ...

(''Zygogeomys trichopus'') Some sources also list a genus ''

Hypogeomys ''Hypogeomys'' is a genus of rodents in the family Nesomyidae, found in Madagascar. There is one extant species, the Malagasy giant rat (''Hypogeomys antimena''), currently an endangered species with a restricted range. There is also another spec ...

'', with one species, but this genus name is normally used for the

Malagasy giant rat The Malagasy giant rat (''Hypogeomys antimena''), also known as the votsotsa or votsovotsa, is a nesomyid rodent found only in the Menabe region of Madagascar. It is an endangered species due to habitat loss, slow reproduction, and limited ...

, which belongs to the family

Nesomyidae The Nesomyidae are a family (biology), family of African rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes several subfamilies, all of which are native to either continental Africa or to Madagascar. Included in this family are N ...

In popular culture

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

is nicknamed the "Gopher State", and the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

's athletics teams are collectively known as the Golden Gophers, led by mascot

Goldy Gopher Goldy Gopher is the mascot for the University of Minnesota and the associated sports teams, known as the Golden Gophers, as well as a four-time UCA Mascot National Champion (2011, 2013, 2017, and 2018). During the year, Goldy makes over 1000 app ...

. The Golden Gopher, however, refers to the

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel The thirteen-lined ground squirrel (''Ictidomys tridecemlineatus''), also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, and squinny (formerly known as the leopard-spermophile in the age of John James Audubon, Audubon), is a species of hib ...

, which is not a member of the Geomyidae family. *

Gainer the Gopher Gainer the Gopher is the mascot of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. The Gainer costume is modelled after the Richardson's ground squirrel, commonly referred to as a "gopher" in many parts of North America. He is from P ...

is the

mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, sports team, university society, society, military unit, or brand, brand name. Mascots are als ...

of the

Saskatchewan Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division. The Roughriders were founded in 19 ...

in the Canadian Football League. *

Gopher Pocket gophers, commonly referred to simply as gophers, are burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae. The roughly 41 speciesSearch results for "Geomyidae" on thASM Mammal Diversity Database are all endemic to North and Central America. They ar ...

is a recurring character in

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

's ''

Winnie the Pooh Winnie-the-Pooh (also known as Edward Bear, Pooh Bear or simply Pooh) is a fictional Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic teddy bear created by English author A. A. Milne and English illustrator E. H. Shepard. Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared by ...

'' franchise. * A gopher puppet is featured prominently in the film ''

Caddyshack ''Caddyshack'' is a 1980 American sports comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Ramis and Douglas Kenney, and starring Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight (his final film role), Michael O'Keefe and Bill ...

'' and the sequel. * The mascot of the Go programming language is the Go Gopher. *

Gordon the Gopher Gordon the Gopher, also known as Gordon T. Gopher, is an English puppet gopher who first appeared on Children's BBC (CBBC) between 1985 and 1987, listed on television shows by Phillip Schofield on the interstitial or in-vision continuity ...

is an English puppet gopher that appeared on

Children's BBC BBC Children's and Education is the BBC division responsible for media content for children in the UK. Since the launch of specially dedicated television channels in 2002, the services have been marketed under two brands. CBBC (short for Chil ...

between 1985 and 1987. * Mac and Tosh from the

Looney Tunes ''Looney Tunes'' is an American media franchise produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The franchise began as a series of animated short films that originally ran from 1930 to 1969, alongside its spin-off series ''Merrie Melodies'', during t ...

franchise are a couple of extremely well mannered gophers.

References

External links

Article on the Animal Diversity Web site
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gopher Rodents of Central America Rodents of Canada Rodents of Mexico Rodents of the United States Agricultural pests Fauna of the Western United States Fauna of the California chaparral and woodlands Rodents by common name Extant Eocene first appearances Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte