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TheAlabamaBeachMouse,scientificallyknownasPeromyscuspolionotusammobates,
isanendangeredspecies;asdeclaredbytheUnitedStatesofAmerica'sfederalgovernment.It
livesalongtheAlabamacoastandisatthedangerofbecomingextinctmainlybecauseofhuman
encroachmentintotheirnaturalhabitatamongotherfactors.Historically,theAlabamaBeach
MouseisfoundalongtheFortMorganPeninsulaanditshabitatextendstoOnoisland.
Residentialandrealestatedevelopment,commonlyreferredtoasbeachfront
development,alongthesandybeachesoftheAlabamacoastisthemainfactorwhythenumber
oftheAlabamaBeachMiceisdiminishingdaybyday.Theharshweathercyclesalsohavea
handinthis.Theseincludehurricanes,tornadoesandstormswhichleadtothedestructionofthe
thedunesinwhichtheylive.Pedestrianstoo,dosteponthesedunesanddestroythem.
TheAlabamaBeachMiceareincompetitionforfoodwithotherrodentssuchashouse
miceandthisleadstothedeathofsomeduetolackofadequateresources.Wildanddomestic
catspreyontheremainingnumberofthemthusreducingtheirchancesofsurvival.Domesticand
wildcatsshouldbecontrolledandanyformoflittershouldbeproperlydisposedinordertoget
ridofhousemiceandotherrodents.
Thefederalgovernmentisadvocatingforavarietyofmeasuressoastoconservethis
endangeredrodents.Theseincludetheerectionofsandfencesinordertorebuilddunes,the
plantingofnativecoastalvegetationsuchasseaoats;adelicacyfortheserodents.Rightafter
constructionofanystructures,thesandshouldbeleftgravelfreeandalldebrisremovedinorder
tofacilitatethedevelopmentofsanddunes.Dunewalkoversshouldbeusedanddrivingand
walkingoverthedunesishighlydiscouraged.Residentsarealsourgednottouseanyrattraps,
poisonorglueboardsoutsidesoastoavoidtheaccidentalkillingoftheAlabamaBeachMice.
TheprotectionoftheAlabamaBeachMouseisveryimportantforpurposesofits
survival.Researcherhavecometoaconclusionthatunlessradicalchangesaretaken,thespecies
willwipedoutcompletelyinfiftyyearstime(Wooten,2006).
References:
WootenM.C,2006,AlabamaBeachMouse,Retrievedon24thSeptember2009from
http://www.outdooralabama.com