Alpine woolly rat

The alpine woolly rat is a large rodent with the scientific name Mallomys gunung. It belongs to the family Muridae and is found only in West Papua, Indonesia, at high elevations. Its extent of occurrence is under 5,000 square kilometres and it is known from just two localities, though it may be present at more. Hunting, predation and slow breeding are thought to be causing a decline, and the fossil record from the Holocene shows a substantial decline already. Global warming is expected to affect it further by increasing the frequency of fire and shrinking its habitat. A museum female was carrying a single young, so litters are assumed to be of one. Little is known of its diet, which is assumed to be mainly plants, seeds and small animals. It is rated Endangered.