A Home for Salty
Written by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen, Illustrated by
Dianne Adams, presented by
San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Read by
Genie Moore, Elizabeth, Abigail and Laurel, Hi my name is
Genie and I'm joined today with my daughters Elizabeth, Abigail and Laurel, Hello!
I work at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in
Alviso, California
The refuge protects wetland habitats around the edge of the San Francisco Bay
we protect many plants and animals but today we're going to learn
about one of our smallest inhabitants. The salt marsh harvest mouse,
salty, as we have nicknamed the mouse is about the size of your thumb.
The mouse is specially adapted to drink salt water and build
it's nests in pickleweed that grows along the edge of the San Francisco Bay.
Salty is nocturnal and normally only comes out at night.
Salty is also listed by the government as an endangered species. Elizabeth,
do you know, what it means of a species is endangered? Endangered means they're not many left.
That's right there are not many mice left. But all of that is changing as we
continue to protect salty's habitat and create more habitat for salty
to thrive. Elizabeth, what is a habitat? A home for plant or animal.
In our story today we're going to follow salty as she looks for her perfect
habitat, her perfect home. She will have some misadventures and meet
a lot of interesting animals are you ready to read our story? Yes.
Ok, let's get started with our book, A Home for Salty.
Near a large ocean in the bay called San Francisco salty, the salt marsh harvest mouse,
searched for somewhere to live, salty wanted to find a
place not to wet, with plenty of places to hide and sleep and of course plenty to eat.
Salty wanted to find a place just
right salty was searching for a habitat, salty was looking for a home.
She came to the edge of land.
Where there was only waters as far as she could see.
This place was too wet. She didn't see any place to hide or sleep and her belly was empty.
As, she rested dark had with blinking eyes popped out of the water beside
her. Salty ran away from the harbor seal. Open bay water was not the right place for her.
Salty wanted to find a place just right. Salty was searching for a
habitat. Salty was looking for a home.
Salty scampered along the land, but was stopped by a long stream of water.
The water looked like a river, but she took a drink and the water tasted salty.
Salty went for a swim to find something to eat. A tall
bird landed next to her and salty hurried back to
shore to hide. This place was too wet and there was no food. The
slough was not the right place for her.
Salty wanted to find a place just right. Salty was searching for a
habitat. Salty was looking for a home.
The snowy egret flew away and salty came out of her hiding place
the tide went out leaving mud and the bottom of this slough.
As sandpiper landed and began to pull a snail out of the mud.
Salty was hungry she tried to do the same.
She quickly discovered salt marsh harvest mice don't eat snails.
This place was too muddy and there was nothing to eat. The mud flat was not the right place for her.
Salty wanted to find a place just right.
Salty was searching for a habitat. Salty was looking for a home.
A shadow passed near, out of the blue salty was snatched up,
caught in the claws of white tailed kite.
Above the top of the mud they flew up and
up then over-the-hill. Salty was terribly frightened
suddenly a peregrine falcon appeared salty felt a great bump and,
she fell into soft green grass.
Looking around for food she saw a jackrabbit nibbling on the leaves
of a plant with beautiful orange flowers. Salty quickly discovered salt marsh harvest mice don't
eat California poppies. She looked around for a place to sleep, as a gopher snake slithered up
beside her. He looked as hungry as she felt.
Salty ran down the hill. This place had no food and nowhere to hide.
The upland was not the right place for her.
Salty wanted to find a place just right. Salty was searching for a habitat.
Salty was looking for a home.
A pair of canvasback ducks
flew overhead. Salty followed. Green grass soon gave way
to a place filled with red and green marsh plant. The plant was pickleweed.
Salty quickly discovered salt marsh harvest mice love to eat pickleweed.
This place was not too wet and there was plenty to eat.
A shadow fell over salty and a California Ridgways
rail stepped out of the pickleweed. Salty ran further into the pickleweed
marsh. this place had plenty of places to hide.
Salty ate until she was content, then she built a nest, lying down for a well
earned nap. This places plenty of places to sleep.
Finally, Salty
the salt marsh harvest mouse had found a place just right. Salty
had found a habitat. Salty had, at last, found her home.
Well, I hope you enjoyed our story Elizabeth, Abigail, Laurel and
I encourage you to learn more about salty the salt marsh harvest mouse and
all of the species that live along the edge of the bay, like seals,
snakes, rabbits, peregrine falcons, sand pipers, and
egrets. Girls what are your favorite animals on the refuge?
My favorite animal on the Refuge are the jack rabbits
because they are so cute and we have a rabbit that looks similar to it.
My favorite animal the refuge is gray fox because they
look really cool. My favorite animal at the refuge is salty.
All right and my favorite animal are the harbor seals because
they think they're so cool please visit our website so you can learn more about the
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in the South Bay
and the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge in the North Bay.