Antelope Squirrel

Background The Nelson's Antelope Squirrel (Ammosperophilus nelsoni), or NAS, is found in the San Joaquin Valley of North America between the southern part of the Sierra Nevada and the Tehachapi Mountains (Hawbecker 1953). NAS has been found to prefer habitat containing Desert Saltbush (Atriplex polycarpa) for it's burrows (Hawbecker 1953). Red-Stemmed Filaree (Erodium cicutarium) and Red Brome (Bromus rubens) are staples of NAS' diet along with insects such as the June Beetle (Phyllophaga errans) and the Valley Grasshopper (Oedaleonotus enigma) (Hawbecker 1953). Many predators inhabit the NAS' range such as the Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis), Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo borealis), and numerous owl species, yet predation from these species on NAS is negligible (Hawbecker 1953). However, the Weasel (Mustela frenata) and the Badger (Taxidea taxus) have shown to prey on the NAS heavily (Hawbecker 1953). It has been …show more content…
The San Joaquin Valley, which the NAS inhabits, has been reduced to 41% of its natural area due to urbanization, agricultural practices, and industries (Germano et al. 2011). Nonnative species of plants have been brought to the San Joaquin Valley with the spread of urbanization and agriculture in the area for aesthetic and livestock purposes (Germano et al. 2001). These invasive species have replaced the shrubland with grassland, eliminating the NAS' prime habitat (Germano et al. 2001). Prescribed burning has been suggested and tried in the valley to help terminate invasive grasses; this has shown to provide sufficient habitat for NSA (Germano et al. 2001). Unfortunately, prescribed burning has proved to destroy the Desert Salt Bush without any recovery of the bush itself, one of the preferred plants of the NAS (Germano et al. 2001). With the NAS habitat severely fragmented and altered, restoration and a full recovery of the species is essentially impossible (Germano et al. 2001, Koprowski