Giant white-tailed rat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Giant white-tailed rat |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Uromys
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| Species: |
caudimaculatus
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The giant white-tailed rat (Uromys caudimaculatus) is a large rodent that lives in Australia. You can find it in the tropical rainforests of northern Queensland. Similar types of these rats also live in New Guinea and the Aru Islands.
This rat is one of the biggest rodents in Australia. It can weigh up to 1 kilogram (about 2.2 pounds). It has grey-brown fur on its back and cream or white fur on its belly. Its tail is long and bare, with the end part being white.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Giant white-tailed rats start to breed around September or October. The busiest time for breeding is in December and January, when the wet season is at its peak.
After about 36 days, the mother rat gives birth to a litter of two or three babies, though sometimes there can be four. The young rats stay with their mother for about three months.
What Are Its Names?
This species is often called the white-tailed rat or giant white-tailed rat. However, it also has many names from different Indigenous Australian languages.
Some of these names include:
- Durrgim (from the Yidiny language)
- Durrkin (from the Jaabugay language)
- Jikoy, Koojang, and Parrongkai (from the Gnog languages)
- Thupi (from the Kuuku Ya'u language)
Another suggested name is Mati, which is a general word for rats and mice used near the Peach River on Cape York. In Papua New Guinea, people who speak the Kalam language call it kabkal.
