Point Arena Mountain Beaver - Christopher Matos




Point Arena Mountain Beaver
(Aplodontia rufa nigra)

 Summarize Description and Ecology of Organism
Mountain beavers are considered to be the most primitive rodents still alive. They typically weigh 2-4 pounds and measure one foot long. They have an opposable thumb and long curved claws that are used for digging. They are highly sensitive to ground vibration and noise, have a low reproductive rate, live 5-6 years, and are not semi-aquatic like true beavers. The Point Arena subspecies is mainly distinguished by its black coloration and nasal outlines. They are strictly herbivorous and spend a majority of their time in their burrows when they are not foraging.

Geographic and Population Changes
The Point Arena mountain beaver is located entirely in western Mendocino County, California in an area range of 24 square miles. The Point Arena mountain beaver is seperate from the rest of its species family that is found to the north in Oregon and Washington with bigger populations. The population when it was first listed as endangered was 100 individuals, increasing up to an estimated 200-500 individuals in 1998. There is no current estimate due to difficulty of gathering data from private lands and verifying that the individuals recorded are actually different.

Listing Date and Type of Listing
The Point Arena mountain beaver was listed as a federally endangered species on December 12, 1991 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is still listed as endangered to this date.

Cause of listing and Main threats to its continued existence
The causes for listing the Point Arena mountain beaver as endangered are due to its small population and its low reproductive rate making it highly susceptible to its threats. The threats to the Point Arena are habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation due to the usage of its habitat for construction developments and agricultural practices. Other threats include predation from animals such as dogs and human disturbances such as driving.

Description of Recovery Plan
The objectives of the recovery plan established in 1998 are to begin downlisting the Point Arena mountain beaver in 2015 and to complete delisting by 2025. The priority of the Point Arena mountain beaver at this time was 3 for its high degree of threat and high recovery potential. The recovery plan as outlined by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service in 1998 has 7 steps.
1. Protect known populations.
2. Protect suitable habitat, buffers, and corridors.
3. Develop management plans and guidelines.
4. Gather biological and ecological data necessary for conservation of the subspecies.
5. Determine feasibility of, and need for, relocation.
6. Monitor existing populations and survey for new ones.
7. Establish an outreach program.
The estimated cost of recovery for the Point Arena mountain beaver at the time plan was approved was $1,047,000+, with the total cost possibly being higher as several tasks were yet to be estimated.

 What can you do?
1. Learn more about the Point Arena mountain beaver using the resources below.
2. Inform your friends and family about its endangered status.
3. Write to Mendocino politicians asking for more laws and regulations to help protect the scarce population of Point Arena mountain beavers.
4. Write to Mendocino construction and agriculture companies asking for them to consider the Point Arena mountain beaver during their planning and take steps to minimize their impact on the species.
5. Consider using less products made created by cattle, such as meat and milk, to lower the demand for cattle and reduce the effects of grazing on Point Arena mountain beavers.

 Other resources
Fellers, G.M., Lidicker Jr., W.Z., Linzey, A. & NatureServe. 2016. Aplodontia rufa (errata version published in 2017). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T1869A115057269. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T1869A22183865.en.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1998. Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra (Rafinesque)) Recovery Plan. Region 1, Portland, OR. https://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/980602.pdf
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2009. Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra) 5-Year Review.  Arcata, California. https://www.fws.gov/arcata/es/mammals/mtnbeaver/documents/5yearReview.pdf
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Point Arena Mountain Beaver Species Profile.” Official Web Page of the U S Fish and Wildlife Service, 7 Apr. 2017, www.fws.gov/arcata/es/mammals/mtnbeaver/mtnbeaver.html.

Photos
https://cff2.earth.com/uploads/2017/01/03142349/Aplodontia-rufa-nigra.gif
https://lacoassociates.us/sites/lacoassociates.us/files/projects/Mendo%20Campus%20LRC%20under%20construction%20geotech%20and%20materials%20testing%20201104.jpg
http://www.livetradingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/051.jpg

Comments

  1. DrWildlifeMarch 8, 2018 at 10:28 AM

    I had no idea that there was a beaver that was not semi-aquatic. With only 100 individuals left in 1991, and there might only be 200 in 1998, I really hope this species is doing better now! It’s sad that they are unable to get a lot of data and I am glad you pointed that out because there is still hope for this animal! I felt like you really tried to include the audience which is really important. - Anna Luehrs

    ReplyDelete
  2. DrWildlifeMarch 8, 2018 at 3:51 PM

    The need for tropical moist forests is becoming so aware to me as many endangered species in the West coast are endangered due to lack of water and moist habitats. Water allocation by authorities affect SO many animals, plants, humans etc. As challenging of a topic, something must be done to better spread the water resources while also allowing for California to grow the crops it needs. - Brooke Lochhead

    ReplyDelete
  3. DrWildlifeMarch 11, 2018 at 1:41 PM

    I found it super odd that these animals aren't semi-aquatic like most other beavers that I would typically think of. I think it's important to realize how much more susceptible these animals are to endangerment because they were cut off from other populations in Oregon and Washington, leaving them with lower genetic variation because of less potential mates. - Ava Mattis

    ReplyDelete
  4. DrWildlifeMarch 12, 2018 at 1:01 PM

    I find it really sad that recent data cannot be collected. That must have made it really hard to meet their goal of downlisitng and eventually delisting very difficult. I amazes me that i had no idea that so many of the subspeices that people are writing about even existed. Shows that we need so much more awareness for the more unknown species.
    _Shea Menzel

    ReplyDelete
  5. DrWildlifeMarch 12, 2018 at 5:18 PM

    Your blog is super easy to follow. I'm really interested to know what the species' population is now; it sucks that there isn't information on that right now. I don't know what it means to be sensitive to ground vibrations so I'll have to look that up! - Hannah Lee

    ReplyDelete
  6. DrWildlifeMarch 13, 2018 at 12:12 AM

    I found it interesting how as consumers, we can indirectly make a difference just by buying less products derived from cattle. I like that you included that as one of the actions we can take because it's very attainable and doesn't make people feel like they are useless in trying to make a difference, especially if writing a letter to a policymaker seems a little more intimidating. - Ashley Lam

    ReplyDelete
  7. DrWildlifeMarch 13, 2018 at 12:52 PM

    The lack of available data must be very frustrating to biologists working hard to try and save this species, especially because it seems so unique, being a non semi-aquatic beaver. The fact that they spend most of their time in their burrows likely only makes it more difficult to account for the remaining members of the species. -Alijah Maldonado

    ReplyDelete
  8. DrWildlifeMarch 14, 2018 at 3:48 PM

    The blog format was very clear and concise. I still can’t get over the fact that in class we learned that although beavers may be cute, they are truly devious little fellas. It seems like the main threats for the Point Arena Mountain Beaver is due to human disturbances and that is disappointing. - Samary Mayo

    ReplyDelete
  9. DrWildlifeMarch 14, 2018 at 4:12 PM

    It's so interesting that these beavers are not semi-aquatic. I can' believe they only live about 5-6 years. Also the fact that they only live in an area of 24 square miles is mind blowing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. DrWildlifeMarch 18, 2018 at 5:01 PM

    First off I enjoy how you set up your blog with a more list type structure. Also, it was amazing to learn that they only live to be about 5 years old. It is disturbing to hear that the main threats to this species comes from humans. - Scott Martin

    ReplyDelete

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