Smoky mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smoky mouse |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pseudomys
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| Species: |
fumeus
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The smoky mouse (Pseudomys fumeus) is a small rodent that lives in southeastern Australia. It was first discovered in 1934. Its name "smoky" comes from the Latin word for smoke, which describes its grey fur. This mouse is also known as the Koonoom by some local people.
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What Does the Smoky Mouse Look Like?
The smoky mouse has grey fur, just like its name suggests! It is darker grey on its back and a lighter, smoky grey on its belly. It has a black ring around its eyes and a dark grey nose area. Its feet are light pink, and its ears are a grey-pink color.
The tail of a smoky mouse is longer than its body. It is pink with a brownish stripe along the top. Smoky mice from different areas can look a bit different. For example, mice from the Grampian Mountains are usually larger and have darker, slate-grey fur.
Mice from east of Melbourne weigh about 35 grams. Their bodies are around 107 millimeters long, and their tails are about 116 millimeters long. Mice from the Grampians are bigger, weighing around 65 grams. Their bodies are about 122 millimeters long, and their tails are about 132 millimeters long.
Where Does the Smoky Mouse Live?
The smoky mouse lives in southeastern Australia. You can find them in places like the Grampians, East Gippsland, and parts of southeastern New South Wales. This includes areas like Kosciuszko National Park and South East Forests National Park.
Sadly, the places where smoky mice live are now separated into small areas. This means their homes are broken up. They are no longer found in some places where they used to live, like the Great Otway National Park and Brindabella Range.
Why Is the Smoky Mouse Endangered?
The smoky mouse is currently listed as "vulnerable." This means its numbers are going down in the wild. There are fewer than 2,500 smoky mice left. All the groups of mice that are still alive seem to be shrinking.
There are a few main reasons why their numbers are dropping:
- Changes in their homes: The places where they live are changing.
- Predators: Wild cats, foxes, and dogs hunt them. These animals are not native to Australia and cause problems for local wildlife.
Scientists and conservation groups are working hard to help the smoky mouse. There is a special plan to help them recover. They are also watching for predators in some areas, like the Yowaka and Waalimma sections of the South East Forest National Park.
How Bushfires Affect Smoky Mice
In February 2020, something very sad happened. Researchers from Charles Sturt University found that nine smoky mice died from a serious lung disease. This disease was caused by smoke from the 2019–20 Australian bushfires. The smoke contained tiny particles that harmed their lungs, even though the fires were 50 kilometers away.
At first, people worried that all the smoky mice in Kosciuszko National Park had died because of the fires. But luckily, some mice were found alive again in June 2020! This was great news and showed that the species is resilient.
See also
In Spanish: Pseudomys fumeus para niños
