Head to head
Botta's Pocket Gopher vs Plains Pocket Gopher
Botta's Pocket Gopher
VS Plains Pocket Gopher
Botta's pocket gopher and the plains pocket gopher are both fur-pouched burrowers that spend nearly their whole lives underground, but they dig in different regions of North America.
| Botta's Pocket Gopher | Plains Pocket Gopher | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Thomomys bottae | Geomys bursarius |
| Range | Grassland, desert, and open woodland soils across much of the western United States and northern Mexico | Grassland and desert habitat across the central United States |
| Diet | Roots, tubers, bulbs, and stems, which it pulls into its tunnels | Roots, tubers, and underground plant material, pulling whole plants down from below |
| Mounds | Pushes excess soil up in mounds and plugs its tunnel entrances | Fan-shaped mounds mark an extensive hidden burrow system below |
| Cheek pouches | External, fur-lined pouches that open outside the mouth | External, fur-lined pouches opening near the mouth, used to carry food to storage chambers |
| Digging adaptations | Lips close behind the front teeth, and a short, sensitive tail helps it feel its way backwards | Not specifically documented |
| Time above ground | Rarely, spending nearly all its life in tunnels it digs itself | Rarely seen above ground, surfacing briefly to push out soil or find a mate |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Botta's Pocket Gopher vs Plains Pocket Gopher: common questions
Why are they called pocket gophers?
Both have external, fur-lined cheek pouches, or pockets, that open outside the mouth and are used to carry food.
Which pocket gopher leaves fan-shaped mounds?
The plains pocket gopher, whose fan-shaped mounds mark an extensive hidden burrow system below.
Where do Botta's and plains pocket gophers live?
Botta's pocket gopher lives across much of the western United States and northern Mexico, while the plains pocket gopher lives across the central United States.