Endemic Mammals of the Henry Mountains, Utah

Some species of small mammals may appear on lists of sensitive species (for example, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1994) because they are known from only one or a few localities, have not been the subject of any studies, and are genetically distinct. The three endemic subspecies of mammals from the Henry Mountains of Utah illustrate some possibilities and problems faced by management agencies when such species are listed as sensitive species or as candidates for protection as endangered or threatened species. The Henry Mountains in south-central Utah were the last western mountain range to be discovered (Hunt et al. 1953; Figure), after being seen during one of John Wesley Powell's trips down the Colorado River and subsequently explored by a party sent out by Powell. The mountains provide habitat to three endemic subspecies of mammals: Mt. Ellen chipmunk, Mt. Ellen pocket gopher, and Mt. Ellen long-tailed vole (Hall 1981). Recent research in the Henry Mountains showed that the chipmunk is abundant with no apparent threats to its widespread habitat (Mollhagen and Bogan 1995). The vole, though less abundant, is commonly found in good habitat. Voles, however, cycle in abundance (Taitt and Krebs 1985) and surveys for them should be conducted over several seasons or years. Habitat for the vole could be jeopardized by overgrazing or drying of wetlands, but no studies in the Henry Mountains have documented such threats. These two species, the chipmunk and vole, are probably not in real danger from any perceivable threat. The pocket gopher, though, may represent a distinctly different case. Almost 40 years ago, Durrant (1958) commented that the gopher might be extinct, though the basis for his comment is unknown. More recent studies also found no sign of pocket gophers in the Henry Mountains (Mollhagen and Bogan 1995), though surveys are incomplete, and considerable habitat remains that must be searched. Additional surveys are needed to clearly determine the status of the Mt. Ellen pocket gopher so that management decisions can be made.