Brevard Zoo’s Coastal Dune Ecosystem Welcomes Pair of Perdido Key Beach Mice
By Brevard Zoo // April 10, 2023
brevard Zoo has had this conservation with the breeding program since 2007
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Brevard Zoo is happy to introduce its first two Perdido Key Beach mice babies this year. The two male beach mice were born to mom, Malaika, and dad, Gifford.
Brevard Zoo has had this conservation with the breeding program since 2007.
“We are one of two Florida zoos carefully breeding these tiny, critically endangered mice that play a big part in coastal dune ecosystems in Florida and Alabama,” said a Brevard Zoo spokesperson.
It keeps the plants in place – preventing severe erosion. Coastal development, feral cats, rising sea levels, and hurricanes all threaten this species.
Ahead of 2004’s Hurricane Ivan, wildlife biologists removed 12 mice from Perdido Key State Park in order to protect the species, kicking off conservation breeding for this species.
Our two beach mice pups will stay at our Zoo unless they’re paired with female mice at another facility or sent back to their natural range to help those populations.
This breeding season, we paired 12 individuals for breeding based on recommendations from a geneticist. This ensures a genetically diverse beach mouse population in human care.
“Thank you to Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation, whose generosity makes this critical conservation breeding program possible.”
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