SPECIES: Notomys aquilo — Northern Hopping-mouse
CLASSIFICATION: Endangered
Say hello to the Northern Hopping mouse: a small, shy native rodent. Brown fur above and a white fluffy belly. Long, hind feed up to 4cm(!!) long. Big, beautiful dark eyes. Oh - and the tail, that measures a whopping 150% of its body length. They are found in the sandy soils on heathlands and grasslands. The female of the species has an incredible knack for building complex burrows up to 5m(!!) long.
With just one population left in coastal northern Australia, there is every chance this native endangered species could be a figment of one's imagination in the future. Loss of habitat because of fire and livestock and the ever-present threat by feral cats are the biggest pressures facing the future of the Northern Hopping-mouse.
Photo: Paul Barden