Modern extirpation of the Texas kangaroo rat, Dipodomys elator, in Oklahoma: changing land use and climate over a century of time as the road to eventual extinction

Abstract

Surveys conducted during three years (2014-2017) provide the most extensive documentation to date for the possible presence of the Texas kangaroo rat (Dipodomys elator), a Tier II species considered to be of greatest conservation need, in seven counties in southwestern Oklahoma.  The project encompassed 15 surveys on 93 nights; 266 localities were surveyed for a total of 9,094 trap nights and more than 32,428 km of paved and unpaved roads were surveyed for potential habitat and activity.  No Texas kangaroo rats were captured or observed.  However, 2,178 individuals of 17 mammal species were captured and individuals of 12 additional mammal species were collected and/or observed.  New locality and natural history information for mammal species was obtained and six county records were recorded based on specimens and/or observations.  Project results and historical information suggest that the Texas kangaroo rat (D. elator) is likely extirpated from the state of Oklahoma.