SAN DIEGO — The U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton care most about
two things: keeping America safe and saving a thumb-sized mouse
from extinction. In rugged terrain used in a training exercise
known as the Crucible, for instance, food- and sleep-deprived
Marine Corps recruits push themselves through simulated combat
stress scenarios — and try to avoid disturbing the Pacific
pocket mouse, an endangered animal that clings to existence by
its tiny sharp claws. During a recent tour of the area’s green
hills and wind-swept beaches, Marine environmental officials
said the corps is working with federal agencies to create formal
safeguards for the mouse. “A comprehensive management plan would
be much broader in scope and depth than simply telling Marines
to watch out for the mouse while they are training," said Maj.
David Roen, head of environmental compliance for Marine Corp
installations in the Southwest. Environmental laws hold military
commanders accountable for activities on their bases.
Historically, the range of