"What was that?!"
That was my first thought many years ago when, walking through some low prairie, something that I could only describe as a mouse-sized kangaroo took three big leaps out of the grass in front of me. I was to learn later that it was a jumping mouse!
It might surprise you, but North Dakota is home to a couple species of what are commonly known as jumping mice.
In his "Biological Survey of North Dakota (1926)," Vernon Bailey described their jumping behavior accurately:
“When startled, they go bounding away with long jumps, suggesting frogs, and usually make two or three leaps before stopping to see if they are pursued.”
He goes on to say that they are most often disturbed when in their nests.
In his "Mammals of North Dakota," Robert Seabloom notes two species of jumping mice native to North Dakota. The most common is the meadow jumping mouse which ranges over much of Canada, and in the United States roughly east of a line from North Dakota to Kansas. It is more common than one might think in North Dakota, and may be found across the state in grasslands as well as wooded habitats where it prefers some of the moister sites.
The meadow jumping mouse is small, with a length of about 8 inches, including the tail which approaches five inches long. Those measurements are correct; the tail is longer than the body. And as one might expect, they have long hind legs which enables them to jump six feet or so, often several times, and not in a straight line.
Like many other mice, their diet is variable, and includes insects such as beetles and caterpillars as well as seeds. Their breeding season runs from May to September during which time 2-3 litters of around seven young are produced. When winter comes around, they hibernate, usually in underground nests.
The other jumping mouse in North Dakota is the western jumping mouse. This species has a smaller distribution, reported only in the Red River Valley, Sheyenne National Grasslands, and a few northern counties (e.g., Bottineau, McHenry, Ward, Ramsey, Wells). The two species are quite similar in looks and habitat affinities which makes them hard to distinguish.
So, if you are out walking some moist grasslands or woodlands, you too may encounter this interesting mouse.
