ABSTRACT
The Morro Bay kangaroo rat (Dipodomys heermanni morroensis) occurs in only a limited region of sandy soils just south of Morro Bay, Calif. Habitat changes in recent years have reduced its original range and total population, and it is now considered an endangered form by state, federal, and international wildlife agencies. The optimum habitat for Morro Bay kangaroo rats is in low, shrubby vegetation, usually less than 0.6 m in height. Shrubs are widely spaced and intervening open areas support a variety of annual plants which provide most of the food (seeds, young growth) for the animals. Kangaroo rats are strictly nocturnal, spending daylight hours in their underground burrows. They are solitary throughout most of the year, and each animal has its own burrow, as well as one or more smaller subsidiary burrows.
