Central rock rat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Central rock rat |
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| Conservation status | |
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Zyzomys
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| Species: |
pedunculatus
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The central rock rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus), also called the central thick-tailed rock-rat, is a unique type of rodent found only in Australia. These small creatures live in rocky areas, on mountainsides, and in grasslands or woodlands with loose stones. They are mostly found in the West MacDonnell Ranges in the Northern Territory.
For a while, people thought the central rock rat might have disappeared completely. This was because their numbers dropped a lot in the 1990s. But in 2001, some were found again! Sadly, a drought and wildfires hit their home in 2002, and they weren't seen for some time after that. Because of how few there are, the central rock rat is now listed as Critically Endangered. In 2013, motion-sensor cameras helped discover them again on the Haasts Bluff Aboriginal Land Trust, west of Alice Springs.
Contents
Meet the Central Rock Rat
The central rock rat is one of five rock-rat species that live in Australia. They are nocturnal, which means they are active and look for food mostly at night.
What They Look Like
Central rock rats are about 10.6 to 14.9 cm long from their head to their body. Their tail can add another 30 cm to their total length! They usually weigh between 50 and 120 grams. Their fur is a light mustard color on top and pale underneath.
The most interesting part of the central rock rat is its tail. The base of the tail is thick and bulky. This thick tail is thought to be a way for them to store fat, like a camel's hump. This helps them survive when food is hard to find. Rock rats are known to lose their tails, fur, and skin very easily, so they are tricky to handle!
Their Family Life
In captivity, female central rock rats have given birth to litters of different sizes. They can have anywhere from one to four young at a time.
What Do They Eat?
The diet of the central rock rat changes with the seasons, but seeds are their favorite food. Seeds make up about 72% of what they eat. The rest of their diet includes plant leaves (21%), plant stems (3%), and insects (4%). They like to live near rocky places because these areas offer good spots for burrows and a steady supply of seeds.
Because they need a constant food supply and a specific type of habitat, it can be hard to find central rock rats in Central Australia. They also play an important role in nature. They help spread seeds and are a food source for other animals. When there's a lot of rain, their numbers often increase because there's more food available.
Why Are They in Trouble?
The central rock rat faces many challenges that make it hard for them to survive.
Facing Dangers
One big problem is their habitat getting damaged. Bushfires burn away the places where they live and find food. Also, a type of grass called Buffalo grass spreads easily. It kills off the native grasses that central rock rats eat and also makes fires spread faster.
They also have natural predators, like dingoes. Feral animals, like cats, also hunt them. Evidence like fur and bones found in cat droppings shows that feral cats are a threat. Grazing animals, like feral herbivores, eat the plants the rock rats need for food.
A Story of Rediscovery
The central rock rat was once thought to be extinct. Between 1970 and 1995, no one saw them, and they were officially declared extinct. But this changed in 1996!
On September 3, 1996, a group called the Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers caught an animal. From photos, it was identified as the central rock rat! This happened in the MacDonnell Ranges, proving they were not extinct after all. Since then, small groups of these rats have been found in 15 other spots in the West MacDonnell Ranges. However, we still don't know the full area where they live today.
Helping the Central Rock Rat
The Australian government has a special plan to help the central rock rat. The main goal is to make sure their numbers stay stable and don't decrease further.
What the Plan Aims For
The plan has several important goals:
- To find out exactly where they live and how many there are.
- To create and use ways to manage and protect the groups of rats that have been found.
- To keep some central rock rats in zoos or special centers for breeding.
- To learn more about how they live and reproduce when they are in captivity.
- To teach more people about the central rock rat and why it's important to protect them.
Actions to Help
To achieve these goals, the plan includes actions like:
- Counting the rats in different areas and watching how their numbers change.
- Creating a fire management plan for the places where rock rats are known to live.
- Catching some rats to add to the captive breeding program.
Breeding Programs
Protecting the central rock rat's habitat also helps other native animals, like the common brushtail possum and the black-footed rock wallaby.
After the central rock rat was rediscovered in 1996, a special breeding program was started. This program took place at the Alice Springs Desert Park and the Perth Zoo. They started with 14 rats from the wild. The first generation of babies bred successfully. But the next generation had problems, and sadly, the last male in the program died in 2011.
In 2017, a new idea for a breeding program was suggested. It proposed trying again after a period of heavy rain, like the winter of 2016. This would mean there would be more rats in the wild, so taking a few for breeding wouldn't hurt their overall numbers as much.
- Musser, G.G.; Carleton, M.D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 894–1531. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/biology/resources/msw3/browse.asp?id=13001883.
See also
In Spanish: Rata coligorda para niños
