Central rock-rat

Description

The Big-Tailed Rat ( Zyzomys pedunculatus ) is a small Australian rodent of the family Muridae critically endangered. Syn.Latin: Laomys pedunculatus This rock rat (" central rock rat " for English speakers,not to be confused with representatives of the genus Aconaemys ) seemed extinct for decades when it was rediscovered in 1996 in the West MacDonnell Ranges.It has since been seen in small numbers at several West MacDonnells sites.The Alice Springs Desert Park,in the center of Australia,holds for safety a small captive population taking care to respect the demographic and genetic constraints recommended by international experts