Who Done It?

Juanita Lake

This long mound was left as the snow receeded in the spring at Juanita Lake in northern California near the Oregon border. The mound is about 2" wide.

Photo by Dennis Deck

What is the story behind this mound?

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Answer

The pocket gopher is active all winter, eating roots and plants. As it burrows under the snow, the excavated dirt is packed into the tunnel formed above the ground. When the snow melts, these earth casts snaking along the surface are exposed.

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