Milestones for a Mighty Mouse | San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

A tiny mouse that needed big help. This year marks the 20th anniversary of our collaborative conservation efforts to save the Pacific pocket mouse. Native to Southern California, this mouse is only about the size of your thumb and was once thought to be extinct. When a small population of the mice was rediscovered, hope was reinvigorated and scientists jumped into action. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance launched a collaborative conservation approach to save North America's smallest mouse from extinction. Why all this work to save such a tiny animal? Pacific pocket mice are seed dispersers and their burrowing cycles nutrients and aerates the soil. These key ecosystem services help keep Southern California’s ecosystems healthy. What began 20 years ago as an emergency response by the Alliance