The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced on February 9 that a tiny mouse in California has set a Guinness World Record for longevity, living to 9 years and 209 days old.
This photo of Pat the mouse is provided by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. (Photo: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance/AP).
Pat the mouse – named after actor Patrick Stewart from the Star Trek series – was born at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park on July 14, 2013, as part of a conservation breeding program, AP reported on February 9.
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance stated that Pat is a member of the Pacific pocket mouse (Scientific name: Perognathus longimembris pacificus) – the smallest mouse species in North America. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this species typically measures 10.9 to 15.2 cm from nose to tail tip and can weigh between 6 to 10 grams, as reported by ABC.
The organization further noted that this mouse species once had a range extending from Los Angeles to the Tijuana River Valley, but its population has declined since 1932 due to human encroachment and habitat destruction.
The Pacific pocket mouse was once thought to be extinct for 20 years until small, isolated populations were rediscovered in 1994 at Dana Point, California. However, they still face the risk of extinction.
In 2012, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance launched a breeding program to help the Pacific pocket mouse escape the threat of extinction.
