Hydromys chrysogaster
Rakali or Water Rat at Belconnen, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Hydromys chrysogaster | DonFletcher | 19 Jun 2019 | |
| Hydromys chrysogaster | AlisonMilton | 18 Jun 2019 |
Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.
User's notes
Sadly deceased. I have commonly spotted them here. Interesting that the belly fur has been stripped. I initially thought that some paper or debris had settled on the belly but when checking on the computer, realised that the fur had actually been stripped.
3 comments
19 Jun 2019
Hi Alison, When mammals decompose in water, fur sheds just like that, especially from the belly, so this one was not necessarily plucked or 'stripped'. I suspect your ID is correct but I'm finding it hard to see a really convincing Rakali ID feature on this animal to enable me to 'confirm' it. If you have another photo showing the white tail tip, or one showing webbed feet, or one indicating the scale so we can tell your rat is larger than a Norway Rat or Black Rat, that would help. cheers
19 Jun 2019
Thanks Don. These are the only photos I have. It was difficult to photograph as the only view was from the bridge over Lake Ginninderra. I have regularly seen rakali here so presumed this was the species. Not seen any other rat species here.
19 Jun 2019
Using the maple leaves for scale, I think it probably has a head-body length of around 20cm so will go with Rakali
Location information
- Coordinates 149.072208-35.237952
- Altitude 575.4m
- Maps Lake Ginninderra
- Places Belconnen, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 17 Jun 2019 01:01 PM Recorded on
- AlisonMilton Recorded by
Collections
Species information
- Hydromys chrysogaster Scientific name
- Rakali or Water Rat Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1940m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information