During the months of May and June, seven kangaroo rats were captured at a highly productive patch of habitat on provincial lands in Alberta and relocated about 20 km to a recently unoccupied patch of habitat. Six animals were ‘soft’ released into below-ground artificial nests constructed to provide shelter and food for the animals, and [...]

The past month has been a busy one for the Ord’s kangaroo rat researchers in Alberta. The first translocations on Alberta provincial land are now completed and researchers are monitoring whether or not six kangaroo rats with new homes are able to establish themselves and thrive in their new surroundings.   A mix of adult [...]

The Ord’s Kangaroo Rat is the only species of kangaroo rat in Canada and, despite the name, is a Canadian native species, and is not closely related to the non-native Norway rat that people despise. In addition to their importance to biodiversity, kangaroo rats are described as a keystone species because they are very important [...]

  In May/June, the Ord’s Kangaroo Rat Team began its 2012 spring surveys in Alberta. The species is well-known for its unpredictable and sometimes extreme population fluctuations, which is one of the reasons the species was listed as Endangered in Canada. Spring 2012 population numbers have been of great interest to researchers and managers because of an apparent [...]