Is it a Pocket Gopher or Mole?

Authors

Wendy M. Arjo, National Wildlife Research Center’s Olympia Field Station

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

July 2003

Comments

Published by WESTERN FORESTER; JULY/AUGUST 2003

Abstract

Depending on where you are, the term “gopher” is applied to a variety of mammal species including ground squirrels, prairie dogs and moles. The true pocket gopher is actually very distinguishable once you recognize their appearance and sign, or indicators of the animal. Pocket gophers are burrowing rodents named for their external fur-lined cheek pouches. Unlike mole mounds, which have been characterized as miniature volcanoes, gopher mounds are fan-shaped in appearance. Pocket gophers are distributed throughout the Pacific Northwest, but occur more frequently in the drier climates of eastern Washington and Oregon.