Ziegler's water rat

Ziegler's water rat
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Genus:	Hydromys
Species:	H. ziegleri
Binomial name
Hydromys ziegleri Helgen, 2005

Ziegler's water rat (Hydromys ziegleri), described in the mid-2000s, is a semiaquatic species of rodent native to the mountains Papua New Guinea of which little is known.^[1]

It was described in 2005 by K. Helgen,^[2] and later was assessed by Helgen, and A. Allison in 2008.^[1] The water rat was named in honor of the deceased Dr. Alan C. Ziegler from the Bishop Museum.^[2] It has been rated as data deficient for the purposes of the IUCN Red List because insufficient is known about the creature's population range, threats, and numbers.^[1] Only two specimens have ever been recorded by scientists.^[1] The water rat may be threatened by logging of its forest habitat but more research is needed to codify this theory.^[1] It is also believed it may inhabit the northern slopes of its mountain home but study is needed to determine this as fact.^[1]

This species inhabits both terrestrial and freshwater systems. This includes forests, subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests, inland wetlands, permanent watercourses, and artificial terrestrial areas.^[1] The animal has only been recorded in Bainyik, located on the south slopes of the Prince Alexander Mountains at an elevation of 200 meters (650 feet).^[1] The rat has been found to live in creeks and rivers in low lying tropical rain forests but it may also live in higher elevations.^[1]

• Profile on IUCN Red List