Western Jumping Mouse

About the Western Jumping Mouse

The western jumping mouse (Zapus princeps), is a species of rodent in the family Zapodidae. It is found in Canada and the United States. Western jumping mice evolved during the Pleistocene, possibly from the fossil species Zapus burti, which is known from the late Blancan. Their closest relatives appear to be Pacific jumping mice, with which they can still interbreed to produce fertile offspring.

Western jumping mice resemble typical mice in appearance, but with long hind-feet and reduced forelimbs. They range from 22 to 25 cm (8.7 to 9.8 in) in total length, including a tail 13 to 15 cm (5.1 to 5.9 in) long, and weigh from 17 to 40 g (0.60 to 1.41 oz). The mouse has coarse, dark-greyish-brown fur over the upper body, with a broad yellow to red band along the flanks, and pale yellowish-white underparts. Some individuals have white spots on the upper body, or on the tip of the tail. The two sexes are similar in appearance and size; females have four pairs of teats.

Western jumping mice are found in western North America from Yukon to New Mexico. They inhabit mountainous terrain with moderately damp climates, in meadows and forests dominated... Wikipedia →