Giant root-rat: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the giant root-rat lives – recorded in 1 country, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Tachyoryctes macrocephalus
Group	Mice, rats & other rodents
Status	Endangered (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Found in	1 country
Continents	Africa
Class	Mammal
Order	Rodentia
Family	Spalacidae

Where does the giant root-rat live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the giant root-rat in 1 country or territory across Africa.

Ethiopia

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

Is the giant root-rat endangered?

The giant root-rat’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Endangered” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.

What kind of animal is the giant root-rat?

The giant root-rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus) is a mammal in the order Rodentia and the family Spalacidae, genus Tachyoryctes. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the giant root-rat

The giant root-rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus), also known as the Ethiopian African mole rat, is a species of rodent in the genus Tachyoryctes. The species is endemic to Ethiopia's Bale Mountains, and its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, where the population can reach densities of up to 2,600 individuals per square kilometre. The giant root-rat has thick fur and large teeth, and creates large networks of tunnels whilst foraging for food before making holes to the surface to feed on nearby vegetation. There are many species that prey on Tachyoryctes macrocephalus, especially the Ethiopian wolf, and it is threatened by habitat loss.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Giant root-rat (revision 1374581786), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q784176 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).