Water Mouse
Xeromys myoides
Australia's Threatened Species Category
Vulnerable
Listed since: 29/09/2021
IUCN's Threatened Species Category
Vulnerable
Listed since: 25/07/2015
Population trend: Decreasing
Other names: False Water Rat, Yirrkoo
Priority Species? No
The Australian government's Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032 selected over 100 priority species derive from consultation with threatened species experts and the wider community. While all species are important, focusing on a limited number of species can help target effort and resources so that outcomes can be achieved, measured and shared.
Description
The Water Mouse is a small rodents and are nocturnal foragers and will search for prey between low and high tides along exposed tidal flats and around the water�s edge. The Water Mouse makes unique and varied mud-based nests for refuge and breeding. These nests are permanent and important features, contributing to the stability of Water Mouse populations.
Threats
The primary threat to the Water Mouse is the loss, degradation, and fragmentation of freshwater and intertidal wetland. In the Northern Territory, coastal habitat change is occurring due to saltwater intrusion, spread of exotic pasture grasses, and impacts of feral animals and livestock (especially associated with intensification of pastoral activities). In Queensland, changes in hydrology and expression of acid sulphate soils are causing loss, fragmentation and degradation of habitat. The Water Mouse is also seriously threatened by feral predators, particularly in Queensland, where the Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) poses a severe threat to the species.
Quollity Conservation Hub's Vulnerability Score:
53
To help compare the relative vulnerability of different species, we have developed a scoring system based on biological and ecological characteristics that influence a species' ability to survive and recover from environmental change and natural disasters.
The framework is adapted from assessment methods used by conservation experts following the Black Summer bushfires to help identify species most in need of conservation action, research, and recovery funding.
Each species is assessed using a range of factors, including its conservation status, lifespan, reproductive rate, habitat and dietary requirements, ability to disperse or recover after fire, and the number and severity of threats it faces.
In general, the higher a species' score, the greater its overall vulnerability and risk of decline or extinction.
Like all conservation assessments, this scoring system is limited by the information currently available. Many threatened species remain poorly studied and receive limited research funding, meaning some assessments rely on the best available scientific knowledge or information from closely related species. As new research becomes available, scores may be updated to reflect our improved understanding.