The Australian Swamp Rat (Rattus lutreolus) is a mammal in the Muridae family of rodents and true mice. It is also known as the Eastern Swamp Rat.
The Australian Swamp Rat has a stocky body with black-brown fur and black feet. Its underbelly is lighter. It has small, rounded ears, and small, dark, round eyes. It has long, white whiskers. Its tail is long, dark-grey, scaly, and without hair.
It grows to about 15 centimetres (6 inches) long, without its tail. Its tail measures about 11 centimetres (4 inches) long.
It is native to the coasts of southern and eastern Australia. It prefers lowland landscapes in dunes, grasslands, swamps, and wetlands with thick vegetation.
It is partly nocturnal, active mainly at night, and partly diurnal, active during the day, especially if it can hide in thick grass. It is vegetarian, feeding of reeds, seeds, and swamp grass. Sometimes, it eats insects and fungi.
The female Australian Swamp Rat has 1-11 live young, after a pregnancy of 23-24 days.
Location of photographs: Adelaide Hills, Australia
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM