Pocket gophers are subterranean rodents that spend almost their entire lives beneath the soil. These highly specialized herbivores, named for their external, fur-lined cheek pouches, are known for their extensive burrow systems across North and Central America. Their constant pursuit of vegetation below ground, which is directly linked to their tunneling activity, gives them a reputation as agricultural and garden pests.
Primary Food Sources
Gophers are primarily herbivorous, and their diet consists mainly of plant parts they encounter while excavating their tunnels. The most consistent staples of their nutrition are the underground storage structures of plants, which provide a reliable year-round food source. These general categories include large, fleshy roots, starchy tubers like those found on potatoes, and nutrient-dense bulbs and rhizomes.
The subterranean nature of these food items minimizes the risk of predation, as gophers rarely need to venture above ground. They consume roots directly as they extend their burrow systems, effectively clearing the path for their tunnels. Gophers also forage near the surface by clipping plants and pulling them down into their burrows. This allows them to access stems, leaves, and other succulent plant parts without being fully exposed.
Specific Plant Preferences
While gophers eat a variety of underground plant parts, their favored foods are often characterized by high moisture content and dense carbohydrate storage. They actively seek out plants with succulent tap roots and fleshy roots, which offer the most nutritional reward. For instance, in agricultural settings, alfalfa is a highly preferred food source, sometimes making up over 90 percent of a gopher’s diet in affected fields due to its large, palatable taproot.
Garden vegetables like carrots and potatoes are also frequently targeted because they represent large, easily digestible, and calorie-rich tubers and roots. Ornamental bulbs, such as tulips and lilies, are similarly attractive to gophers for their high concentration of stored energy. The robust, fleshy roots of weeds like dandelions are another favorite, as they are often encountered and consumed during routine tunneling. Gophers generally avoid plants with fibrous roots, instead focusing on those with a high ratio of stored carbohydrates.
Unique Feeding Habits
The “pocket” in pocket gopher refers to the large, fur-lined cheek pouches extending from their mouths to their shoulders. These specialized pockets are a defining characteristic and a primary tool for gathering food. Gophers use these pouches to collect and transport large quantities of plant material back to dedicated storage chambers within their tunnel systems.
This behavior, known as food caching, allows gophers to prepare for periods when food might be less accessible, such as during cold weather or dry seasons. They can carry significant amounts of vegetation in their pouches, which can be turned inside out for easy emptying and cleaning once they reach the cache. Furthermore, gophers often consume roots and other plant parts while actively digging, using their large, exposed incisors to cut through the material they encounter as they excavate new tunnels.