The distribution of the SAN bernardino kangaroo RAT (dipodomys merriami parvus, sbkr), is limited to three extantisolated populations found in SAN bernardino and riverside counties

This $113,053.82 Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CFDA 15.657 Endangered Species Recovery Implementation) supports a 2.5-year project to assess the long-term success of a 2020 translocation to establish a new population of the endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat in the San Jacinto region of California. The project will monitor the translocated population, evaluate the receiver site habitat, and provide supplemental individuals if needed to support population growth and recovery. Genetic sampling will also be conducted to monitor the genetics of the new population. The results will contribute to range-wide management and recovery efforts for this endangered species. The award recipient is the Zoological Society of San Diego, a non-profit organization with extensive experience in endangered species conservation, research, and reintroduction programs.

The SAN jacinto population has beendocumented to have extremely low effective population size and genetic diversity. A translocation of sbkr intosan jacinto occurred in 2020 to determine the efficacy of this conservation method to facilitate recovery andmitigate for losses associated with development. Translocation success is evaluated in stages and can take yearsto move from settlement and survival to reproduction, population growth and population regulation. Short-termsuccess of the 2020 translocation was high. The proposed project will assess long-term success of thisconservation action through monitoring for an additional 2.5 years (through year 5 post-release) and providesupport to the newly created population through annual habitat evaluations of the receiver site and seedsupplementation. If deemed necessary based on population size, the relocated population will be supported withsupplemental individuals. Moreover, genetic samples will be collected and banked to monitor the genetics of thereleased population. The results of this project will contribute to range-wide long-term management andrecovery of sbkr.