I am sure that almost everyone has heard the saying 'variety is the spice of life.' For me, 'diversity is the spice of life.' I am always amazed at how each and every living species has its own unique characteristics in structure and habitats, Being able to observe such wonders makes like more flavorful. As a naturalist, I get plenty of zesty mouthfuls of 'Bio-Spice' while at work. Not wanting to be accused to being a glutton, I wish to share a taste of the “spice of mice.”

Did he say mice! You betcha. How can a mouse be so fabulously interesting? Did you know there are over fifty species of mice (not rats, moles, voles, etch) in North America? Approximately ten species range into our area. I recently became intrigued with the reports from a volunteer that her son was finding kangaroo rats on their porch that their cat had killed. I asked her to bring one in and upon examination of the kangaroo rat, we identified it as a Woodland Jumping mouse. I had seen nothing like it before. It was beautiful even for a mouse! It had brilliant golden fur on its back and side with white underneath. Most notable was its tail length, which is twice its body and size, and its extra long hind legs and big hind feet. It looks nothing like a common house mouse or deer mouse that you might see scurrying across your kitchen floor. This creature looks more as if it is from Borneo or Madagascar.

Although they live here in the mountains, you many only rarely get the chance to glimpse at one in the wild. One reason is that they do not 'breed like rats.' They only have two litters a year and have a one-acre average population on only three mice (about 1/5 of that of deer mice). Also, they are nocturnal and are one of the few mice that hibernate. Their habitat is the cool, moist spruce-fir and hemlock-hardwood forests of our mountain area. Even in you are prowling the mountain tops at night and stumble into prime jumping mouse territory, about all you would see is a orange or gold furry blur with a long tail trailing like a meteorite streaking across the forest floor. Mumping mice live up to their name by leaping as much as three feet in a single bound!

Even if you never see a Woodland Jumping mouse in the wild, we hope you will able to see one here soon. We hope to mount the deceased mouse that was donated to us. We would also like to mount it in a mock predator and prey pursuit with a least weasel that also fell prey to a house cat. If you would be interested in helping with financing the mounting of this fascinating animal, please contact the Friends office. We hope you will be able to enjoy the spice of mice in our Nature Lab soon! Until then, spice up your life by observing the incredible natural world of the Southern Appalachians, whether it is here at the Nature Center out your door or atop Mount Mitchell.