Cabrera's hutia

Cabrera Tree Rat ( Mesocapromys angelcabrerai )

The Cabrera - tree rat ( Mesocapromys angelcabrerai ) is an endangered species of tree rat, which is restricted as the other members of this genus in Cuba. The total number of rodents is due to several small islands lying off the south coast of Cuba, distributed. Little is known about the life of the Cabrera - tree rat.

Appearance

The 60 to 90 centimeters large animals have a broad head with narrow little eyes. They have a short brown to gray fur and a soft short undercoat, which the whole body and the long tail covered. The legs are short.

Anatomical peculiarities

Of all the other rodents, they differ because of their divided into three chambers stomach.

Habitat and discovery

The Cabrera - tree rat is found only in the mangrove forests of the island chain Cayos de Ana María, which is the island of Cuba in front in the south. On the main island of Cuba itself, it was discovered near the port city of Jucaro ( Jucaro Este ), where two specimens were first found in 1970. Since there are no further reports from there by observations or catches this Article

Way of life

The Cabrera - tree rats feed on plant parts and smaller animals, which can be found on the mangroves in their habitat. In the mangrove trees, mainly the Red Mangrove, they build their nests with a diameter of about one meter and multiple inputs and outputs. About the further life and reproduction nocturnal animals, little is known. Among the natural enemies include snakes and birds of prey.

Threats and conservation measures

The species is threatened by habitat destruction, hunting, and by the introduced by humans, dogs, cats and mongooses in their inventory. It is possible that the entrained house rat (Rattus rattus ) is a competitor for the Cabrera - tree rat. The IUCN classifies this type due to their very small distribution area as Endangered (Endangered ) a. For the protection of nature, a nature reserve on the island chain Cayos de Ana María was established.

Related species

The related long-eared Tree Rat ( Mesocapromys auritus ), the little tree rat ( Mesocapromys nanus ) and the San Felipe Tree Rat ( Mesocapromys sanfelipensis ) also live in Cuba. The latter two are threatened with extinction. In the caves on Cuba and its neighboring small islands were found in the waste pile to the fireplaces of the first human settlers of the island remains of other extinct species of the genus Mesocapromys.