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List of rodents of Australia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Australia is a land known for its unique animals, like kangaroos and koalas. But did you know it's also home to many different kinds of rodents? Rodents are a group of mammals that includes mice, rats, and squirrels. In Australia, most native rodents belong to a family called Muridae.

Scientists believe that Australia's native rodents arrived in two main waves from Asia. The first group, called the "Old endemics," came about 11 to 9 million years ago. The second group, known as the "New endemics," arrived more recently, around 4 to 3 million years ago. These rodents were some of the few placental mammals (mammals that develop inside their mother's body) to cross the Wallace Line – an invisible boundary that separates Asian animals from Australian animals – before humans settled there. Before this, Australia was mostly home to marsupials (like kangaroos) and monotremes (like platypuses).

Sadly, some rodents were also brought to Australia by accident. The black rat, brown rat, Pacific rat, and house mouse arrived with European settlers. A small group of five-lined palm squirrels also appeared near Perth. Luckily, grey squirrels, which were also introduced, have since been removed from Australia.

Native Australian Rodents

Australia's native rodents are special because many of them are found nowhere else in the world! They are divided into two main groups based on when they arrived.

Old "Endemics"

The "Old endemics" are the oldest group of native rodents in Australia. They arrived millions of years ago and have evolved into many unique species. Some of these amazing animals are now extinct, meaning they no longer exist.

New "Endemics"

The "New endemics" are another group of native Australian rodents. They arrived more recently than the "Old endemics" but are still considered native to the continent.

Introduced Rodents

These rodents were not originally from Australia. They were brought to the continent by humans, often by accident, and have since made Australia their home.

Rats and Mice

Squirrels

  • Five-lined palm squirrel¤, Funambulus pennantii
  • Grey squirrel¤, Sciurus carolinensis - now extinct in Australia (meaning it was introduced but has since been removed from the wild in Australia)

See also

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List of rodents of Australia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.