Rakali

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Water rat
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Muridae Genus: Hydromys Species: H. chrysogaster
Binomial name
Hydromys chrysogaster (Geoffroy, 1804)
Distribution of Hydromys (all colors)

The Water Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster), also known as the Native Water Rat or Rakali, is an Australian native rodent. The species lives in burrows on the banks of rivers, lakes and estuaries and feeds on aquatic insects, fish, crustaceans, mussels, snails, frogs, birds' eggs and water birds. Water Rats have a body 231-370 mm in length, weigh 340-1,275 g and have a thick tail measuring around 242-345 mm. They have webbed hind legs, waterproof fur, a flattened head, a long blunt nose, many whiskers and small ears and eyes. They are black to brown in colour with an orange to white belly.

The Australian Department of Environment and Heritage has recommended that the Water Rat's common name be changed to Rakali (an Indigenous Australian name), to avoid the negative connotations of "rat" and foster appreciation of the species as an Australian native animal. Both appellations are widespread.

[edit] References

• Australian Museum