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Chlidonias

kiore (Rattus exulans)

July 2011

kiore (Rattus exulans)
Chlidonias, 29 Jul 2011
    • Chlidonias
      the kiore or Polynesian rat is widespread right across the Pacific. In NZ it used to be extremely common throughout the country and is thought to have been responsible for many pre-European extinctions of the smaller animals such as flightless wrens, owlet-nightjar, lizards, frogs and giant insects. After the introduction of European rats (the black rat Rattus rattus and brown rat Rattus norvegicus) the kiore disappeared almost entirely from the mainland and is now only found on offshore islands.

      These ones at Nga Manu were the first ones I'd seen in the living state, so it was quite interesting even if they do basically look just like any other Rattus
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  • Category:
    Nga Manu Nature Reserve
    Uploaded By:
    Chlidonias
    Date:
    29 Jul 2011
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