Notomys mitchellii Traditional Cache
Hidden : 1/23/2014
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


Notomys mitchellii



Mitchell's hopping mouse

This is an educational cache to give people an idea of some of the animals that are found on the lower eyre peninsula. Where this cache is placed is along side a walking trail adjacent to the coast it offers nice views. It is a little walk from the nearest access points but it isn't to taxing and kids should be able to do this one to. This is one of the native hopping mice that is found in and around Port Lincoln and the Lower Eyre Peninsula. This mouse can be seen in this area if your lucky and here at the right time of day. They are not pest animals they do not enter homes like the European  mice. This information shows just how much damage humanity has done to the native environment since european settlement so please be careful as you enjoy the area as you could be damaging someones home. the following information is sourced from internet sites if you want to find out more about them. 

Description

Mitchell's Hopping-mouse (Notomys mitchellii) is a bipedal rodent with large back legs, similar to a jerboa or kangaroo rat. Individuals are a sandy grey colour, with white chest hairs and a paler underbelly. The tail of the species is long and has the characteristic hopping-mouse brush at the tip. This tail morphology is thought to aid balance when travelling at speed. It is the largest member of the genus Notomys, weighing between 40 and 60 g. Neither male nor female N. michelli have the gular pouch that is present in the other Notomys.
The species is currently considered to be unthreatened, but its range has been reduced through habitat disturbance and destruction associated with European settlement in Australia.

Distribution

Notomys mitchelli was first discovered in the area of the junction of the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers, New South Wales. In some areas, including the Nullarbor region of South Australia, the species inhabits areas of malle vegetation which lack a significant understorey. In other parts of its range, such as the Eyre Peninsula, eastern South Australia and western Victoria, N.mitchelli is found in areas with a relatively dense understorey, typically mallee-broombush and malle-Triodia associations. In Western Australia, the species is been found in similar habitat, including malle Melaleuca and malle-Leptospermum associations.
Although the species is considered to be ‘secure’, it has been estimated that between of 50-60 per cent of N. mitchelli’s range has been cleared for agricultural purposes. This range reduction has occurred principally in the eastern and western extremes of N. mitchelli’s distribution and the species appears to be confined to remnant patches of native vegetation, where disturbance has been minimal.
It has been reported that N. mitchelli is no longer found in the semi-arid region of New South Wales where the species was first identified.

Habitat

Mallee shrubland associations are the typical habitat of N. mitchelli, especially areas with sandy soils and slight sand dune formations.
Being nocturnal, Mitchell's Hopping-mouse shelters during the day in typical hopping mouse burrows; a small number of interconnected, vertical shafts, burrowing deep into the dune. Up to eight animals, different ages and sex, have been found in a single burrow.
Mitchell's Hopping-mouse is omnivorous although seeds and plant material (roots, stems, leaves) make up the majority of the the diet. The proportion of green material in the diet is thought to be correlated with periods of drought, indicating that N. mitchelli is less able to extract adequate water from dry seed than other species of the genus. Mitchell's Hopping-mouse produces concentrated urine to conserve water, but in a different way to more arid-dwelling rodents.
A litter for a Mitchell's Hopping-mouse is 3-5, with a gestation period of about 40 days. The young are weaned at approximately 35 days. N. mitchellii is known to have a lifespan of up to five years in the laboratory and this is thought to be a strategy evolved to combat the breeding-constraints during lengthy periods of drought.


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Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Pnzbhsyntrq ng tebhaq yriry

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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