Peruvian climbing mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peruvian climbing mouse |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Genus: | Rhipidomys |
| Species: |
R. modicus
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| Binomial name | |
| Rhipidomys modicus Thomas, 1926
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The Peruvian climbing mouse (also called Rhipidomys modicus) is a small rodent that lives in South America. It belongs to the Cricetidae family, which includes many types of mice and hamsters. This special mouse is found only in the eastern parts of the Andes mountains in central Peru. It lives at high places, from about 700 to 1,800 meters (2,300 to 5,900 feet) above sea level.
Contents
About the Peruvian Climbing Mouse
What it Looks Like
This mouse is about 130 to 165 millimeters (5.1 to 6.5 inches) long from its head to the start of its tail. Its tail is quite long, even longer than its body! It can be about 135% the length of its head and body.
The mouse has fur that feels a bit rough and is not very long. Its fur is usually a mix of yellowish and reddish-brown colors. This color comes from hairs that have different colored bands. It also has some darker, longer hairs mixed in.
Its belly is whitish. The hairs on its belly are usually light to dark gray at the bottom. Sometimes, a mouse might even have a small orange spot in the middle of its chest.
Its Tail and Feet
The tail of the Peruvian climbing mouse is a medium to dark brown color. It doesn't have much hair on it. At the very end of its tail, there's a small tuft of hair, like a little brush.
Its back feet are wide, which helps it climb. The top part of its back feet often has large dark patches. These dark spots can sometimes go all the way onto its toes.
Where it Lives and How it Behaves
Its Home and Habits
The Peruvian climbing mouse lives in special kinds of forests. These include lower montane forests and cloud forests. Cloud forests are cool, moist forests often covered in clouds.
This mouse is nocturnal, which means it is active mostly at night. During the day, it rests. It is also arboreal, meaning it spends most of its time in trees. Its long tail and wide feet help it climb and move around easily in the branches.
Protecting the Peruvian Climbing Mouse
Its Conservation Status
The Peruvian climbing mouse is not very common, and scientists don't know a lot about it. It mostly lives in forests that have not been touched by people. We don't know if it can live in forests that have grown back after being cut down. One mouse was even found in an old shed, which was a surprise!
The number of these mice is probably going down. This is because the forests where they live are being cut down. People are clearing the land to grow crops. Even though its habitat is shrinking, the mouse lives in a wide area. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says it is a "least-concern species". This means it's not in immediate danger of disappearing.
There are some protected areas in the region where this mouse lives. However, we don't know for sure if the Peruvian climbing mouse lives inside any of these safe zones. More research is needed to help protect this unique climbing mouse.
See also
In Spanish: Rhipidomys modicus para niños
 | Selma Burke |
 | Pauline Powell Burns |
 | Frederick J. Brown |
 | Robert Blackburn |
