ABOUT THE SPECIES
The Greater Stick-nest Rat is a large native rodent that builds communal homes out of sticks and other vegetation. These nests can be up to a metre high and 1.5 metres wide, and are lined with soft plant material. The greater stick-nest rat was found across much of the semi-arid and southern arid zones of Australia. By the 1930s, it was confined to only two islands. These rats face threats from introduced predators such as cats and foxes, and competition for resources from introduced herbivores. Stick-nest rats have multiple names across different indigenous languages, including Wopilkara, Ulri, Kuranta and Kohl. Image courtesy of April Reside/Arid Recovery.
ABOUT THE ORGANISATION
Stick-nest Rats were first returned to mainland Australia in 1998 with releases into the Arid Recovery Reserve. Since then, the population has established within the arid ecosystems of the Reserve and allowed for additional research into the species and the conditions required for successful reintroductions. The Stick-nest Rat population at Arid Recovery is the most arid-living, and we are really interested in how these animals adapt to the extremes of heat and dry. Stick-nest rats remain dependent on feral cat and fox-free islands and fenced reserves like Arid Recovery. Without these refuges, the species would disappear.
You can vote for Arid Recovery and the Greater stick-nest rat in The ANiMOZ Aussie Wildlife Vote 2020 right here!