West African shaggy rat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West African shaggy rat |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Genus: | Dasymys |
| Species: |
D. rufulus
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| Binomial name | |
| Dasymys rufulus Miller, 1900
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The West African shaggy rat (scientific name: Dasymys rufulus) is a type of rodent. Rodents are a group of mammals that includes rats, mice, and squirrels. This rat belongs to the Muridae family, which is a large group of mice and rats.
You can find this rat in many West African countries. These include Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. It likes to live in wet or flooded areas. These places can be lowland grasslands or swamps.
Good news! The West African shaggy rat is a common animal. Experts at the International Union for Conservation of Nature say it is a "least concern" species. This means it is not in danger of disappearing.
What Does It Look Like?
The West African shaggy rat is a medium-sized rat. It has a strong body and soft, thick fur. Its fur looks a bit shaggy.
This rat has small, dark eyes. Its ears are also small and round. Sometimes, you can't even see its eyes or ears because of its dense fur! The fur on its back and head is brown or grayish-brown. It often has a reddish color, especially on its head and along its back.
The fur on its sides is brown. The tips of these hairs are often a buffy (light yellowish-brown) color. Its belly is lighter than its back. The hairs on its belly are gray with whitish tips. The colors on its back and belly blend together smoothly.
The front feet of this rat have four toes. Its back feet have five toes. Its tail is about the same length as its body. The tail has small scales and short, stiff hairs. On average, this rat's body is about 145 mm (5.7 in) long. It usually weighs about 78 g (2.7 oz).
Where Does It Live?
The West African shaggy rat lives in tropical West Africa. Its home range includes countries like Benin, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
It prefers to live in wet places. You can find it in wetlands and swampy areas. It also lives near streams, riverbanks, and lakesides. Sometimes, it lives in young oil-palm farms or rice fields.
How Does It Live?
The West African shaggy rat spends its life on the ground. It is a nocturnal animal, meaning it is active at night. It is also a very good swimmer!
This rat digs a shallow burrow to live in. It often hides the entrance to its home under a clump of grass. It eats plants, like grasses and leaves. We don't know much about how it has babies yet.
 | Bayard Rustin |
 | Jeannette Carter |
 | Jeremiah A. Brown |
