The Perdido Key Beach Mouse is considered critically endangered by the U.S. "They are little engineers of the dunes, they are … The critically endangered Perdido Key beach mouse or sea turtles don’t fare as well, since these species rely on healthy dunes and the vegetation that stabilizes them. In addition to nesting sea turtles, a variety of shorebirds, Perdido Key is the only home of the Perdido Key Beach Mouse. The beach mouse population at Perdido Key, a small strip of land that straddles the Alabama-Florida border, was nearly wiped out in the mid-1990's when hurricanes Erin and Opal ravaged Perdido Key’s beaches. Necropsy and histopathology revealed chordoma of the vertebral column in 38 of 88 (43%) mice. The captive population, currently maintained by 3 Florida zoos, is entirely derived from just 3 wild-caught ancestor mice. The little creature doesn’t have the natural space it once enjoyed. Perdido Key beach mice are protected as an endangered species by the Endangered Species Act and as a federally designated endangered species by Florida's Endangered and Threatened Species Rule. Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, See a full list of our Social Media accounts. The main threat facing the Perdido Key beach mouse is continued development along beaches. Sea oats, yaupon holly and scrub pines surrounded the homes. It now plans less than 1,000 residences; about 100 are under construction or built. The endangered and reclusive rodents live in the sand dunes and natural vegetation of the beach. Buffeted by hurricanes, threatened by development, and stalked by cats, the thumb-sized mouse had all but disappeared from the sliver of beach outside this bustling Gulf Coast town. Living on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico that stretches across the Florida panhandle and into Alabama, the Perdido Key beach mouse plays an important role in preserving its home. Relatively little is known about the Perdido Key beach mouse, a subspecies of the small old-field mouse, now endemic only to Perdido Key, Florida. Due to habitat loss and mortality from feral animals, Perdido Key beach mice (PKBM) were declared an endangered species in 1983. The beach mouse is listed as "least concern." By Dan Chapman, Public Affairs SpecialistDecember 13, 2017. Federally Endangered. Lost Key got federal permission to build. The frustrations and delays, though, came with a silver lining. The remaining natural habitat is fragmented and often degraded in quality by human activities, such as the use of off-road vehicles and … There are two coastal state parks in the area: Perdido Key State Park and, on the northern side of the lagoon, between Perdido Key and the mainland, Big Lagoon State Park, with great crabbing in the lagoon's shallows. The little creature doesn’t have the natural space it once enjoyed. “They can still build their house and have their piece of heaven. “Their numbers have bounced back and their population is at the highest levels since they were first listed in 1985. The small white and gray mouse, weighing 13-16 grams, blends in with the white quartz sand of northern Gulf coast beaches. Living with Beach MiceLearn more about living with Florida's beach mouse species, and what you can do to help them. “The island’s habitat has to be as nice as the condo you’ve just constructed.”. Fish and Wildlife determined that 59 acres were beach mouse habitat and, after much negotiation, agreed that 26 acres could be built on. Their homes occupy the same coveted barrier island that draws droves of vacationers, retirees and second-home buyers. “We had all our permits intact and [then] we had to jump through a lot of hoops. The Anastasia Island beach mouse is listed as endangered due to the loss of the habitat that it needs to survive. Upon closer inspection, though, the two homes – built for a brother and sister from Alabama – differed from the usual stucco-pastel-palm tree layout favored by most beach builders. ... more than three decades after its designation as an endangered species, the mouse … The beach mouse is protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act. Habitat destruction and predation can take a serious toll on beach mice. Critical habitat was designated for these subspecies at the time of their listing and revised in 2006 to include scrub dunes that serve as refugia during and following storm events and from which recolonization to the frontal dunes takes place. Extinct: the pallid beach mouse found only in northeast Florida was declared extinct … Permits, Waterfowl The Choctawhatchee beach mouse has been on the endangered list since 1985. 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