Mammals
Meadow Jumping Mouse
Zapus hudsonius · also called Hudsonian jumping mouse
Startled in the tall grass beside a stream, a meadow jumping mouse springs several body lengths away on its long hind legs, its tail trailing behind like a thin ribbon.
Overview
The meadow jumping mouse, Zapus hudsonius, is a Least Concern rodent of damp meadows and stream banks across Canada and the northern and eastern United States. Its long tail, leaping escape, and long hibernation make it one of the most distinctive small mammals of North American grassland.
A mouse built to jump
Despite its name, the meadow jumping mouse is closer kin to the jerboas than to true mice, and it uses the same trick of leaping on long hind legs to escape danger.
Status
Least Concern, widespread, though one subspecies is listed as threatened in the United States.
Meadow Jumping Mouse: common questions
How far can a meadow jumping mouse jump?
When startled it can bound several times its own body length in a single jump.
Does the meadow jumping mouse hibernate?
Yes, it spends much of the year, often most of it, hibernating in an underground nest.
Is the meadow jumping mouse related to jerboas?
Yes, it belongs to the same family as the jerboas of the Old World, which are also famous jumpers.
Where is the meadow jumping mouse found?
It lives in moist meadows and along stream banks across much of Canada and the northern and eastern United States.