Digging through dirt

A few days ago I was stopped on the trail by a familiar sound, that of a rodent gnawing on wood. In the early morning, I looked for a wood rat in the nearby shrubbery.

Although unusual for this creature to be out at this time of day, I searched for movement in the branches. There was nothing, nothing but the sound.

Then I began to search the yellow brittle grasses for a meadow vole or deer mouse. Again no movement, no sign of the being making the noise.

I dropped to my hands and knees and slowly crept toward the gnawing sound. Perched over the area, I cocked my head so that I could better hear. Instantly visions of wolves and coyotes drifted though my mind. How often had I seen a predator do this exact thing, only to pounce moments later on its prey? It was worth a moment's recognition of the evolutionary chain.

Seeing no movement but hearing the foraging of this animal, I surmised it was a California pocket gopher. Sitting beside the sound, I heard it digging and chewing its way under the earth.

Wanting to get a better sense of this animal, I crouched over the sound, my face inches from the ground. At that moment, all sound stopped, as if the unseen gopher had detected my presence. I stayed very still for several minutes, and then, finally releasing my taut muscles, I sat down on the trail. Only then did the chewing commence and business go back to usual.

Life underground

Sitting there, I had greater empathy for the life of a gopher, an often overlooked neighbor. What must it be like to live a life of digging through dirt, navigating the dark and sensing danger from above? What must it be like to live your life without really knowing what the risks are when you emerge and raise your head? This was deeply profound for me, as I question the future yet lunge forward into the unknown.

Wondering just how the gopher does this, I looked further into its life history. Because it spends a majority of its time underground, very little is known about its early life. As adults, pocket gophers are medium-sized rodents that are greatly modified for burrowing. A highly variable species in both size and color, its color tends to match the soil in which the population burrows. To better dig, the pocket gopher has enlarged forefeet that are longer than wide with long claws. To minimize injury from dirt, they have small eyes and reduced ears. Pocket gophers' tails are short and nearly devoid of hair. They have external fur-lined pouches for storing food and nest materials.

Other adaptations which aid the pocket gopher's fossorial, or digging, lifestyle are four prominent incisor teeth. The combined growth of these four teeth over a year can be more than 46 inches. Because the creature's digging and gnawing wears down the teeth, continuous growth ensures survival. Another modification is that their lips can close behind their teeth, preventing dirt from entering the mouth.

Solitary except during breeding, gophers dig elaborate branching tunnels for foraging and nesting. They are consummate eaters of bulbs, tubers and green stalks, continuously attracted to growing root systems. An entire plant system can be eaten from below with little evidence above. Occasionally one may see a plant vibrate and then get "sucked" underground. The gopher is pulling and simultaneously cutting the stalk for food.

Beneficial pests

Because of this behavior, they are labeled pests, rarely welcome, but in the larger scheme these rodents are hugely beneficial to the California landscape. Their burrows churn soil, allowing for deeper penetration of water, keeping soil erosion and runoff in check. Also, because water is allowed to seep into the earth, underground water tables and springs are replenished. Furthermore, by mixing dirt with plant debris, burrowing gophers add nutrition to the soil.

But the life of the pocket gopher is not so easy. Aside from being sought after by every farmer, they are hunted by many predators. Hawks, owls, bobcats, house cats, coyotes, foxes, herons, weasels and gopher snakes are only a few of their nemeses.

While hard to seize underground, they are extremely vulnerable when excavating loose soil above ground. Clenching dirt tightly under their chin, they emerge into daylight without sure knowledge of what lies above. Even with this threat, they tenaciously continue on for survival.

Although we may think of these rodents as intruders in our gardens, I am astounded by their adaptations to a lifestyle that would seem terrifying to many.

We could all do well to look at our own personal strengths which allow us to continue moving forward even when we cannot see where our path may lead.

Meghan Walla-Murphy can be reached at the following e-mail: mwallamurphy@yahoo.com.

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