Beach mice are essential to the coastal dune ecosystems they inhabit, but their populations are under threat.

These little mice function as ecosystem engineers through seed dispersal. When left uneaten, seeds stored by these tiny rodents may grow into adult plants that help stabilize the dunes in which they are buried. Stronger dunes provide greater protection to local infrastructure during hurricanes. Their burrows also help aerate the soil, stimulating further plant growth, and act as habitat for other native species.

Beach mice are threatened by habitat loss, introduced predators and population declines resulting from hurricanes.

With help from state and federal agencies and other zoos, East Coast Zoological Foundation (ECZF) has developed a breeding program at Brevard Zoo through the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s SAFE program to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse safeguard population.

Our conservation breeding program began focusing on Perdido Key beach mice in 2007 after Hurricane Ivan decimated their population. This subspecies is found only on a small island off the Gulf Coast of Florida and Alabama. Many of the offspring from our program have been released in Perdido Key to help their counterparts in their native range rebound from hurricanes. With their populations now stable, we are able to expand our efforts to help other species of beach mice as well.

Read the latest news on this conservation breeding program on our blog.