Each month Trail Manager, Emily Galka, highlights flora and fauna that she observes in the Goethe State Forest that surrounds the Black Prong Resort. Goethe State Forest Species of the Month: Pocket Gopher (Geomys pinetis)
Each month Trail Manager, Emily Galka, highlights flora and fauna that she observes in the Goethe State Forest that surrounds the Black Prong Resort.
Ah yes, February, love is in the air, Valentines Day is coming up. You and your special someone might find yourself on a romantic walk through Black Prong or the Goethe. You’re walking along and notice a little sand pile in the grass- thats funny, what is pushing up the sand? You look around and notice that’s not the only one, there are little sand piles everywhere! They aren’t divots like what the armadillos dig, so what could it be?
If you ask a local you might get “salamander” as the response, but that doesn’t make sense, how could a salamander push up dirt like that? Salamander is the nickname that comes from “sandy mounder”, which actually refers to a digging rodent called a pocket gopher.
Florida pocket gophers are small, shy mammals that spend most of their lives underground, busily tunneling through sandy soils which actually helps aerate the soil and mix in nutrients.
There can be as many as 6-8 per acre, each with a lifespan of 2-7 years. They dine mostly on roots and underground plant parts, conveniently snacking without ever needing to surface.
They are solitary homebodies who spend most of their lives underground, playing an important role in keeping Florida’s ecosystems healthy, with tunnels averaging 145ft in length!
Why the name pocket? Well, much like hamsters, these rodents have cheek pouches on either side of their mouth which they can store food in and carry from one location to another.
Pocket gophers and fairly clean animals who have specific areas in their burrows designated for bathroom use.
Though pocket gophers are present year round, their mounds tend to be more apparent in the winter time, which may be related to adjusting their digging routes for feeding patterns, and going closer to the surface for warmth and deeper into the ground for coolness.
Pocket gophers are native species, so even though they can be a nuisance, they belong in this region.
Just make sure that when their sandy mounds pop up, you watch where you’re stepping!
Emily Galka (shown with her horse Lisa) is Black Prong’s Trail Riding Manager and resident naturalist.
