The Stephens’ kangaroo rat is a rodent endemic to western Riverside and northern San Diego counties and in 1988, was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, requiring protection throughout its range.
When the Riverside County Habitat Conservation Agency (RCHCA) was created in 1996, it was to protect and defend wildlife that fell under the Endangered Species Act. As a Joint Powers Authority consisting of the County of Riverside and the cities of Corona, Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Perris, Riverside, Temecula and Wildomar, the agency is responsible for managing conserved lands for the Endangered Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat (SKR).The RCHCA is administered by the Western Riverside Council of Governments, a sub-regional planning organization serving 1.8 million residents in Western Riverside County. The conservation agency was formed to plan for, acquire and manage habitat for the SKR and other endangered, threatened and candidate species.“The RCHCA’s mi
