Pocket gophers often live out their entire lives on less than an acre of land, and aside from brief encounters during the mating season, lead a solitary existence. These life history characteristics have led many populations to develop important local adaptations; consequently, pocket gophers have diversified into a stunning array of species and subspecies. Subspecies usually do not overlap, however, so the loss of just one usually results in the complete absence of pocket gophers from an area.

Pocket gophers are considered "keystone" species because they make such a large contribution to the ecosystems they inhabit. In turning and mixing huge quantities of soil they aerate the ground which allows water to be absorbed more easily, and they create patches of different soil types which leads to more diverse grasslands. Forgotten underground food caches fertilize pocket gopher landscapes, and the gophers themselves provide important prey for owls and coyotes (Canis latrans).

The Douglas County pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides macrotis) is a subspecies of the northern pocket gopher that was first recognized in 1931, and is only found in Douglas County, Colorado, and adjacent portions of Arapahoe and Elbert Counties. Limited surveys for the Douglas County pocket gopher conducted in 1993 and 1994 located only five active sites. Ten years later, no additional work had been done to try to identify and protect Douglas County pocket gopher habitat, yet its limited habitat was quickly vanishing under asphalt and new shopping centers. Doulgas County experienced explosive population growth over those ten years and in 2001 was the fastest growing county in the nation, which led to the loss of many of Douglas County's grasslands.  CNE and Forest Guardians petitioned to protect this subspecies under the Endangered Species Act in order to avert its impending extinction. A month after we filed our petition, the Colorado Division of Wildlife collaborated with the affected counties and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct roadside surveys looking for additional pocket gopher sites. The good news was that more sites were identified; unfortunately, only a handful are on public land, and we remain concerned about its long-term survival.