Lesser Stick-nest Rat
Encyclopedia
The Lesser Stick-nest Rat or White-tipped Stick-nest Rat (Leporillus apicalis) lived in Southern inland Australia
. It accumulated large mounds of sticks to construct its nest
s, which were up to three metres long and a metre high. It was easily tamed, sometimes climbing onto tables to get sugar
. It was also eaten by people. The last capture was filmed on 18 July 1933, when the stick-nests were set alight. The specimens are held in the South Australian Museum. The rat may have declined from competition with cattle
and sheep. There is a possibility that a Lesser Stick-nest Rat was seen in a cave in Western Australia
in 1970.
'downgraded' their status from Extinct to Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct), owing to the very slight possibility that a very small population may still exist in yet to be surveyed remote lands of the Australian interior.
On the site, the reasoning is "Listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) because, although there are no confirmed reports of this species since 1933, there is a reliable record from 1970 and continued, occasional reports of fresh vegetation being added to old stick-nests. Much of this species' range is in remote portions of central Australia, which have not been fully surveyed. This species is probably extinct, but if it does persist its numbers would almost certainly be very small."
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It accumulated large mounds of sticks to construct its nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
s, which were up to three metres long and a metre high. It was easily tamed, sometimes climbing onto tables to get sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
. It was also eaten by people. The last capture was filmed on 18 July 1933, when the stick-nests were set alight. The specimens are held in the South Australian Museum. The rat may have declined from competition with cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and sheep. There is a possibility that a Lesser Stick-nest Rat was seen in a cave in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in 1970.
2008 IUCN Change of Status
The 2008 release of the updated IUCN Status for the Lesser Stick-nest Rat, has interestingly'downgraded' their status from Extinct to Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct), owing to the very slight possibility that a very small population may still exist in yet to be surveyed remote lands of the Australian interior.
On the site, the reasoning is "Listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) because, although there are no confirmed reports of this species since 1933, there is a reliable record from 1970 and continued, occasional reports of fresh vegetation being added to old stick-nests. Much of this species' range is in remote portions of central Australia, which have not been fully surveyed. This species is probably extinct, but if it does persist its numbers would almost certainly be very small."