Mount Oku hylomyscus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Oku hylomyscus |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Genus: | Hylomyscus |
| Species: |
H. grandis
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| Binomial name | |
| Hylomyscus grandis Eisentraut, 1969
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The Mount Oku hylomyscus (scientific name: Hylomyscus grandis) is a type of rodent. Rodents are small mammals like mice and rats. This special mouse lives only on Mount Oku in Cameroon, a country in Central Africa.
It makes its home in wet mountain forests. This mouse lives in a very small area. Its forest home is being destroyed. Because of this, experts say it is "critically endangered". This means it is very close to disappearing forever.
About the Mount Oku Hylomyscus
This mouse is the biggest type of wood mouse in its group, called Hylomyscus. Its body, from head to tail base, is about 8.9 to 11 centimeters (3.5 to 4.3 inches) long. Its tail is even longer, measuring about 13 to 15 centimeters (5.1 to 5.9 inches).
The fur on its back is about 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) long. It can be grey-brown or cinnamon brown. Each hair is grey at the bottom with black or brown tips. Its belly is grey-white. The hairs on its belly are grey with white tips. There is a clear line where the dark fur on its back meets the lighter fur on its belly.
Its front feet are small and have five toes. One toe does not have a claw. These feet have only a few white hairs. Its back feet are also small and have five toes, all with claws. They also have a few white hairs.
The tail is very long, about 1.5 times the length of its body. It has almost no hair. You can see small scales and short, dark bristles on the tail. The bristles are a bit longer near the tip.
Life and Habits
Scientists do not know much about the Mount Oku hylomyscus. This is because only four of these mice have ever been found. They live in mountain forests. Because their tails are so long, scientists think these mice are good at climbing trees.
One female mouse was caught in January. She was pregnant with five or six baby mice. This gives us a small clue about their reproduction.
Why This Mouse Is Endangered
The H. grandis mouse lives in a very small area. All four mice ever found came from just one spot on Mount Oku. This spot is about 2,100 meters (6,900 feet) above sea level. The total area where it lives is only about 470 square kilometers (180 square miles).
Sadly, not much of the natural forest where it lives is left. People are cutting down trees for farming. They also use the wood for building and for burning as firewood. These actions destroy the mouse's home.
Because its home is shrinking so fast, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has said this mouse is "endangered". This means it faces a very high risk of becoming extinct in the wild.
 | Georgia Louise Harris Brown |
 | Julian Abele |
 | Norma Merrick Sklarek |
 | William Sidney Pittman |
