The fawn hopping mouse, Notomys cervinus, is a medium sized, nocturnal rodent endemic to the Channel Country of north-east South Australia and south-west Queensland. It lives on open gibber and clay plains of the Lake Eyre basin, where it digs shallow burrows with one to three entrances in sand patches or in claypans softened by rain. Adults weigh 30 to 50 grams, with a head and body length of 10 to 12 centimetres, a longer bicoloured tail ending in a dark tuft, very long whiskers and elongated hind legs suited to hopping. The upper body ranges from pale pinkish fawn to grey and the underside is white. It eats mainly seeds, adding green shoots and insects when available, and does not need fresh water because it takes most of its moisture from succulent salt-tolerant plants. Breeding is opportunistic and follows good rains. Introduced cats and foxes, overgrazing and drought are the main pressures. The species is presumed extinct in the Northern Territory and is listed as Near Threatened overall.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) ThreatsInvasive and Other Problematic Species, Genes and Diseases 1 ThreatsClimate Change and Severe Weather 1 Living or Extinct Conservation Status Body Size Band Activity Pattern Connections
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Source Fawn hopping mouse (Wikipedia)Lead, where it livesQuote, Lead, where it lives
endemic to the Channel Country Bioregion of northeast South Australia and southwest Queensland in Australia
Sources
1. Fawn hopping mouse (Wikipedia)
Lead
is consequently listed as 'Near Threatened'
Behaviour and Ecology, Diet
Their diet consists of predominantly seeds
Lead, system
They inhabit open gibber (stony) and clay plains of the Lake Eyre basin.
Lead, living or extinct
is a medium sized rodent endemic to the Channel Country Bioregion
Conservation, Threats
The main threat to the fawn hopping mouse is predation from introduced predators mainly cats (Felis catus) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes).
Conservation, Threats, climate
Climate change from reduced rainfall, increased temperatures and the increasing frequency of droughts may also have an impact on the species.
Lead, body size
is a medium sized rodent endemic to the Channel Country Bioregion
Behaviour and Ecology, Behaviour
This species is nocturnal
Lead, where it lives
endemic to the Channel Country Bioregion of northeast South Australia and southwest Queensland in Australia
In Biome: Desert, Distribution and habitat, Habitat
The preferred habitat of the fawn hopping mouse is open gibber and clay plains in arid environments.
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