rodent_enthusiast's Favourites

Appears to be the same one first reported on iNat by @roxanne7 in 2017!

Other observations of this individual: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=25.794886941426988&nelng=-80.2866712061474&order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&subview=table&swlat=25.784260697185044&swlng=-80.34110932031366&taxon_id=46017&verifiable=any&field:Aberrant%20type=leucistic

Birding The Landing at MIA and the green area nearby. eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S118870190

"Ouriço-preto (Chaetomys subspinosus) fotografado em Guarapari, Espí­rito Santo - Sudeste do Brasil. Bioma Mata Atlântica. Registro feito em 2007.

ENGLISH: Bristle-spined rat photographed in Guarapari, Espí­rito Santo - Southeast of Brazil. Atlantic Forest Biome. Picture made in 2007."

My images made for the Últimos Refúgios Institute, are available free of charge to non-profit NGOs, educational projects and other initiatives in which the objective is nature conservation (other than self or corporate benefit). To request them, access the Instituto Últimos Refúgios website.

Minhas imagens feitas para o Instituto Últimos Refúgios são disponibilizadas gratuitamente para ONGs sem fins lucrativos, projetos educacionais e outras iniciativas em que o objetivo seja a conservação da natureza (que não seja o benefício próprio ou de empresa). Para solicitá-las, acesse o site do Instituto Últimos Refúgios.

These photos show two Black rats (Rattus rattus) that I trapped in a compost pile in the barrio. They are of interest because they represent examples of a genetic polymorphism in coloration in the same species, and could cause confusion in identifying rats from around houses.
If you look at photos 3 and 4, where the two animals are side by side, you can see the major color differences between the two animals (gray versus brown). If you didn't know, you might think that these were two different species. That is not the case - they are the same species, and could even have been born in the same litter. The gray color phase (called the "rattus" phase) is the one that is most common in this part of Argentina. The brown rat (the "alexadrinus" phase) is less common, comprising (maybe) 20 percent of these rats in the Bariloche area.
The brown phase rat looks superficially like another species: the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) that is also present in Bariloche. But, the Norway rat is much stouter than the Black rat, usually larger, and has a stubby tail, in contrast to the long, tapering tail of the Black rat.

It was a great surprise to have this photo posted as an observation of the day. The squirrel was in the woods near the parking lot of the Sigiriya rock and palace complex. It was thus probably habituated to company and more curious than others. The Toque Macaques, for example, were very cheeky at this place. I had caught a glimpse--but could take no photo--of the giant squirrel in Kerala, so I was excited to have this encounter and to take a dozen or more photos at pretty close range.

"Caxinguelê (Guerlinguetus ingrami) fotografado em Santa Teresa, Espí­rito Santo - Sudeste do Brasil. Bioma Mata Atlântica. Registro feito em 2013.

ENGLISH: Brazilian squirrel photographed in Santa Teresa, Espí­rito Santo - Southeast of Brazil. Atlantic Forest Biome. Picture made in 2013."

My images made for the Últimos Refúgios Institute, are available free of charge to non-profit NGOs, educational projects and other initiatives in which the objective is nature conservation (other than self or corporate benefit). To request them, access the Instituto Últimos Refúgios website.

Minhas imagens feitas para o Instituto Últimos Refúgios são disponibilizadas gratuitamente para ONGs sem fins lucrativos, projetos educacionais e outras iniciativas em que o objetivo seja a conservação da natureza (que não seja o benefício próprio ou de empresa). Para solicitá-las, acesse o site do Instituto Últimos Refúgios.

Broad Canyon Ranch along the Rio Grande, Dona Ana Co., New Mexico, USA.

These Dipodomys had four toes on hind foot, thus excluding the similar Ord's Kangaroo Rat which has a fifth toe, or more accurately a dew-claw on side of foot. Also, these were found on more gravelly desert soils than the typical sandy soils preferred by Ord's.