Natal multimammate mouse

The Natal multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis, is a rodent in the family Muridae, also known as the Natal multimammate rat, the common African rat, the African soft fur rat and the African soft-furred mouse. It is found in Africa south of the Sahara, and six genetic groups are distinguished: one in western Africa, one in central Africa, one in southern Africa and three in eastern Africa. Its natural habitats include subtropical or tropical dry and moist forest, dry and moist savanna, dry and moist shrubland, arable land, pastureland, rural gardens, urban areas, irrigated land and seasonally flooded agricultural land. The rats are closely associated with humans and are commonly found in and around African villages. The species is the natural host of the Lassa fever virus.