Greater big-footed mouse

Macrotarsomys ingens

The greater big-footed mouse or long-tailed big-footed mouse is a nocturnal rodent found only in north west Madagascar. It was first described by F. Petter in 1959. It is listed as an endangered species as a result of habitat loss.
Greater big-footed mouse, Ankarafantsika, Madagascar Just before returning to camp we came across this rodent hiding in this tree. The guide could not identify it exactly and only mentioned the term "micro mammal". I'm not sure what it is, will check with an expert. Africa,Ankarafantsika,Geotagged,Greater big-footed mouse,Macrotarsomys ingens,Madagascar,Madagascar North,Spring,World

Appearance

The greater big-footed mouse grows to a head and body length of up to 15 cm with an even longer tail of up to 24 cm . Its weight is 50 to 60 grams and it has large eyes and large oval ears. Its big feet are adapted for climbing among the branches of trees. The pelage is brownish-fawn with a greyish undercoat; the underparts and legs are creamy white.

Distribution

The greater big-footed mouse is found only in Mahajanga Province in north-western Madagascar, in the Ankarafantsika forest which is now part of the Ankarafantsika National Park. This is a low rainfall area with typical dry tropical vegetation. The mouse is a nocturnal species. It spends the day in a burrow in the forest floor, the entrance of which is concealed under a rock or tree root and spends the night scrambling about in bushes and trees looking for food.

Status

The greater big-footed mouse is listed as "Endangered" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This is because, although it is fairly common in the area in which it is found, its total range amounts to a single bloc of less than 5,000 square kilometres . Its habitat is subject to degradation by fire and logging and the mouse is at risk of predation by feral animals.

Behavior

The greater big-footed mouse is believed to be herbivorous and probably eats berries, fruit, nuts, seeds, roots and stems. It probably falls prey to such predators as snakes, birds and carnivorous mammals.

Habitat

The greater big-footed mouse is found only in Mahajanga Province in north-western Madagascar, in the Ankarafantsika forest which is now part of the Ankarafantsika National Park. This is a low rainfall area with typical dry tropical vegetation. The mouse is a nocturnal species. It spends the day in a burrow in the forest floor, the entrance of which is concealed under a rock or tree root and spends the night scrambling about in bushes and trees looking for food.

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Status: Endangered | Trend: Unknown
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilyNesomyidae
GenusMacrotarsomys
SpeciesM. ingens
Photographed in
Madagascar