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Maggie Fossett, Dennis Township School

Cape May County


Image of Allegheny woodrat.Allegheny woodrat. Maggie Fossett
Allegheny Woodrat

AWWW! ADORABLE! These are not the normal compliments I usually get. EWWW! GROSS! Yep, these are the sounds I am used to hearing. I have course hair, a long naked tail, big fat ears, and narrow nose. I am a hair cuter than Frankenstein. Can you guess who I am? I am an Allegheny woodrat. You need to know that I am in desperate need of your help.

Do you know anything about me? Well there are a few things you should. I’m not a city rat. They are my cousins. I live in the deciduous forest. I make my den in the crevasses of cliffs. You will see me and my friends along the Appalachian Mountain Range. The rocks allow me to hide from nasty predators. In my rocky den, I store all my food which includes berries, nuts, and tree stems. I need to stock up on food so my pups have a better chance of survival.

I have been endangered since 1991. Being endangered is tough. I have watched my habitat slowly disappear and my food supply too. I only have 2-6 pups per year and at least half of them won’t survive. We need a place to live and food to eat.

Help me! The main thing I need is you! You can save my species by planting trees and creating new forests. You can stop destroying the deciduous forest for you new home developments and shopping malls.

I’m return for your help, I will help you. I am a recycler. I love your trash. I use your trash in my den to make my nest nice and cozy. My pups like your trash too! Together, we can make New Jersey a more beautiful place. EWWW! GROSS! I hope now that you can understand me and can love me like I love you!

Written by: Maggie Fossett
Dennis Twp. School
Dennisville, NJ
Teacher: Mr. Arch