Hairy-eared cerrado mouse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hairy-eared cerrado mouse
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Cricetidae
Genus:	Thalpomys
Species:	T. lasiotis
Binomial name
Thalpomys lasiotis Thomas, 1916
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The hairy-eared cerrado mouse (Thalpomys lasiotis) is a small rodent that lives in South America. It is also known as the hairy-eared akodont. You can find this mouse in the cerrado grasslands of Brazil.

What It Looks Like

The hairy-eared cerrado mouse is a tiny animal. Its head and body are usually less than 90 mm (3.5 in) long. It is generally smaller than its close relative, the cerrado mouse (Thalpomys cerradensis).

These two mice look similar. However, the hairy-eared mouse has a brighter color. Its fur is also longer and feels softer. Its back is a reddish-brown color. Each hair has a dark base, an orange middle, and a dark tip. It also has longer, black guard hairs mixed in. Its sides and belly are lighter in color. The chin is a light tan, and the areas around its eyes and cheeks are orangish. Its tail is brown on top and pale underneath.

Where It Lives

This mouse lives only in the cerrado region of Brazil. You can find it in several states, including Bahia, Minas Gerais, Rondônia, and São Paulo. It also lives in the Federal District.

The hairy-eared cerrado mouse likes to live in open grasslands. These areas might have some bushes or scattered trees. It also likes wetter grassland spots.

Life and Habits

The hairy-eared cerrado mouse has different breeding times. In some areas, it has babies during the dry season. In other places, it breeds during the wet season. When a mother mouse has babies, she usually has two or three at a time.

Each mouse has a home area where it lives and finds food. This area is about 2,278 m² (24,500 sq ft) on average. The hairy-eared cerrado mouse is one of the most common rodents in the cerrado. Only the hairy-tailed bolo mouse (Necromys lasiurus) is found more often.

Its Conservation Status

The hairy-eared cerrado mouse lives across a wide area. It is also a common species. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says it is a species of least concern. This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.

However, the cerrado grasslands where it lives are facing threats. More and more land is being used for large farms. People also burn plants to make charcoal. New dams are being built for irrigation. These activities can harm the mouse's habitat. Even though its numbers might be going down a little, the IUCN believes the decline is not fast enough to put it in a more threatened group right now.