Good news! The Stephen's Kangaroo Rat's classification has been upgraded from endangered to threatened. The southern California rodent is being hailed as a success story for conservationists who hope to duplicate the efforts to other animals.

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has been working diligently to monitor and increase the rodent's population in the region. The population has been under stress in recent years due to habitat loss and urbanization in the area. Once found in many regions of Southern California, the rat is now only found in certain nature reserves in several counties.

The population increase and stability is important for the area, as the kangaroo rat's burrows increase fertility in the soil and creates larger plant diversity.

Source: Fox5