Leporillus

Little bunnies rat ( Leporillus apicalis ) by Gould

The Australian Bunny rats ( Leporillus ) are a genus of Altweltmäuse. They are among the few domestic animals in Australia placenta. These include two species, the Great Bunny rat ( Leporillus conditor ) and the Little Bunny rat ( Leporillus apicalis ). The latter is possibly already extinct, the Great Bunny rat has survived only on a few islands.

Characteristics and lifestyle

Despite its name, the Bunny rats have little in common with rabbits. The name derives from the relatively large ears have been. But in shape and size they resemble rather common rats ( Rattus). The body length is 14 to 20 centimeters. The tail is slightly shorter than the body in the Great Bunny rat, in the Little Bunny rat but up to 25 inches long. The soft fur is oberseits gray-brown to yellow -brown; the underside is gray at the Great Bunny rat, white at the Little Bunny rat.

In English, the names of House Building Council or Stick - nest Rats are common for these animals. These names refer to the most striking feature of behavior, the construction of very large nests of twigs. The habitat of the Bunny rats is sparse bush and shrub -lined semi-desert. Here they are nocturnal and spend the hot days in their nests. The construction of these nests is extremely different. While sometimes only branches are piled up in a heap, build other individuals elaborate structures that can be up to 1.5 meters high. Apparently, it depends on the scenic events, what form a nest.

The nest is usually built around an existing natural structure, such as a rock or a shrub. Branches will be aggregated and intertwined. The nest is covered, the floor inside of the nest is lined with soft plant materials. Whole family groups live together at a nest and are constantly working on the repair and expansion.

During the nest-building of the Great Bunny rat is well documented, it is disputed whether the Little bunnies rat even built nests or merely abandoned dwellings of the larger cousins ​​used has.

Endangering

The Bunny rats were once widespread in southern and western Australia. Bone finds from the last few centuries show that they have lived in historical times in many places, where they are now extinct. The reasons for the dramatic decline of lie in human influences: The competition of introduced rabbits displaced Bunny rats out of their habitats, brought by the settlers hoofed animals such as sheep and cattle destroyed the nests, and also introduced predators such as cats and martens also contributed a large part in the extermination. On the Australian mainland, the two species in the 1920s and 1930s, largely died out.

Whether the Little bunnies rat is still alive, is not known. The last confirmed sighting was in 1933, a reliable report, there were in 1970. Since then, there are always observations of fresh branches that are attached to old nests, which could be an indication that the way in remote areas is still alive. The IUCN lists them as " threatened with extinction " ( critically endangered ).

From the Great Bunny rat survived a natural population on Fraser Iceland. There, there will be a few thousand Bunny rats. To protect the stocks there facing similar failures as on the mainland, bunnies, rats were also exposed to Reevesby Iceland and other small islands where previously all the cats and other predators were killed. The species is "endangered" by the IUCN ( vulnerable ) out. The Australian Environment Ministry has launched an action plan to save the Great Bunny rat to life. The animals should be subjected to further islands. Two suspensions on the mainland (1991 /92) failed because the animals were in very short time foxes prey.

System

Systematically, the Bunny rats Pseudomys part of the group, a predominantly Australian Radiation of Altweltmäuse. With the authentics rats ( Rattus) they are only distantly related.