Animal found along San Diego coastline may gain protection as endangered species

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The Pacific pocket mouse, one of California’s smallest and rarest native mammals, has moved one step closer to permanent state protection. Last week, the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to list the species as a candidate under the California Endangered Species Act.

• The Nexstar Media video above explains the difference between threatened and endangered species and how its decided

The decision follows a petition by the Center for Biological Diversity, which urged the commission to classify the mouse as either threatened or endangered. As a candidate species, the Pacific pocket mouse will now receive temporary protections while the California Department of Fish and Wildlife conducts a yearlong review to determine whether permanent listing is warranted.

“The commission took an important step to protect one of California’s smallest native mammals,” said Elizabeth Reid-Wainscoat, a campaigner with the center. “With their habitat constantly under threat, I hope officials will agree that permanent protections are necessary.”

The Pacific pocket mouse is found in just three known coastal locations in Orange and San Diego counties, with an estimated total habitat of fewer than 740 acres. Despite being federally protected since 1994, conservationists say the species remains on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss, fragmentation from development, disease, predators, and climate change.

Critics of federal protections say they haven’t gone far enough. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has twice declined to designate critical habitat for the species, and recovery benchmarks laid out decades ago have not been met.

Supporters of the new state-level protections say this move could help ensure the mouse's survival, particularly on non-federal lands such as the Dana Point Preserve in Orange County — which is home to one-third of the known population.

The Center for Biological Diversity, a national nonprofit conservation organization, has more than 1.8 million members and online activists advocating for the protection of endangered species and wild places.

The state’s final decision on permanent protections is expected in late 2026.