Our biggest rat is a surprisingly endearing water creature with glossy fur and fabulous whiskers.
MENTION ‘RAT’ and Australians usually think of introduced black rats. But we have many native rodents that have been part of Australia’s fauna for millennia (see AG 143). One of the largest is the water-rat, known also by the Aboriginal name rakali.
It’s like a Down Under otter – an aquatic mammal well known in North America and Europe. Among the rakali’s many appealing otter-like features are glossy fur and distinctive whiskers. It has a streamlined body and thick, tapering tail that acts as a rudder. Also like otters, rakalis are top-order aquatic environment predators, occupying the same ecological niche across Australia that’s filled by otters in the Northern Hemisphere.
Surveying rakali
THE AUSTRALIAN Platypus Conservancy (APC) is asking the public to help conserve the rakali by reporting sightings. It’s found in aquatic habitats from rivers, creeks, lakes and ponds, to dams, wetlands, estuaries and coastal areas. Adults weigh up to 1.2kg and have a white tip on the tail. They’re most active early morning and late afternoon, although they can be seen at any time of the day, particularly in winter.
Bu hikaye Australian Geographic Magazine dergisinin July-August 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Australian Geographic Magazine dergisinin July-August 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
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