A rare Australian rodent has been captured on film for the first time.
The northern hopping mouse, a tiny creature with a 4-inch body and 6-inch tail that hops like a kangaroo, is endangered and extremely rare, Newsweek reports. Scientists know very few details about the mice. The rodent’s habitat is restricted to a small part of northern Australia, and its size, speed and nocturnal habits make it very hard to catch or study.
Rebecca Diete, a postdoctoral student at the University of Queensland, made it her mission to find and document the mouse. A year of obsession finally paid off when she encountered one on a large island called Groote Eylandt. Her video shows a female building an underground burrow.
Her research has helped fill in a lot of blanks about the species. Unfortunately, some of her findings indicate the little mice may have a much smaller habitat range than scientists estimated, making them more endangered than previously thought.
[Newsweek]
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Biden Drops Out of Presidential Race , Endorses Harris to Replace Him
- Why Biden Dropped Out
- The Chaos and Commotion of the RNC in Photos
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Stop Feeling Bad About Sweating
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Contact us at letters@time.com