Long lost rock rat found in NT outback
Long lost rock rat found in NT outback
11 June 2010
published by www.abc.net.au
Australia — Scientists have located an endangered species of rock rat after a year of meticulous searching in Central Australia.
The central rock rat was thought to have been wiped out by wild bushfires in 2002.
But researchers located four of the mammals last week on Mount Sonder in the West MacDonnell National Park.
Dr Chris Pavey from the Department of Natural Resources says it is an important find in their efforts to protect the species.
“During the boom phase they’re quite common,” he said.
“They breed up and they sort of occupy quite a lot of the landscape.
“But during the bust phase when conditions are dry there’s not many of them around and they retract to what we call refuge sites.
“So the key is to then find where these refuge sites are and it’s an absolute needle in a haystack.”
The researchers also made the first capture of a long-tailed dunnart in the Northern Territory since at least 2000.
