A visitor at Grand Canyon’s North Rim asks, “what are those funny looking dirt mounds in the meadows?”
Not my photo
Winter soil casts left by Northern Pocket Gophers who are well-equipped for digging tunnels with large-clawed front paws and large front teeth used to loosen soil and rocks while digging.
During winter they also tunnel in the snow then later backfill with excess soil from new tunnels. When the snow melts, fragmented sections are the result of gopher’s winter work.
Adult Northern Pocket Gophers measure 8 inches (20 cm) in length including their 2-inch (5 cm) tail. They get their name from their fur-lined cheek pouches used to carry food much like a squirrel. However, the pockets on a gopher open on the outside and turn inside out for emptying and cleaning.
Mystery solved.
I think I would prefer those soil casts on my lawn to the mole hills that I have pop up all over the place 🙂 Diane
Them thar pesky varmints. Day gum it!!! It think those are deliberate quotes by Yosemite Sam or was that North Rim Randy. MB
Most interesting. I wonder if our native Ground Hogs do anything like this?
We see the soil casts every spring, but I never was sure exactly what critter made them, nor have I seen a photo of a pocket gopher. Cool!
That guy needs some tooth paste! Do you like spring or fall at N Rim the best – we are thinking right after it opens in spring? (Maybe for our b-days – just initial stages of planning, of course. I remember the snow you had this year in May! I tend to like to LEAVE the snow…)
My, what yellow teeth you have little gopher! Very interesting, Gaelyn. Now we know!
Fascinating!
Smiles
Hmm… Pocket gophers eh? Here this whole time I thought it was giant ants. Good thing it's just a gopher! I was beginning to get nervous about an ant that made tunnels that big. LOL!
Go for what? LoL!
Very interesting post. I had a mole in my backyard doing the same thing. Found him dead on the driveway the other day. Will post some pics soon.
Interesting. The winter before last we had a squirrel in our back yard who had a network of tunnels. We had a warm spell in January and it coaxed him out to get some sunflower seeds from around our bird feeders. No soil casts though.
This is fascinating. I don't remember seeing anything like this, but I've probably not been in the right place at the right time.
Not only the wide ranging beauty of the Canyon but the tiny close ups…wonderful.
How interesting..I would bet that the gardeners don't like them much…