Fun Elvira Rat Facts For Kids

Oluwatosin Michael
Oct 21, 2022 By Oluwatosin Michael
Originally Published on Sep 02, 2021
Edited by Jacob Fitzbright
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Amazing Elvira rat facts for everyone.

The Elvira rat is a large rock rat. The top parts are of brown-gray color, whereas the lower parts are of grey-white color.

The tail of the Elvira rat is bicolored. This species is found in the Salem District of the Eastern Ghats, Tamil Nadu. They have a total head and body length of around 5.8-7.7 in (14.7-19.5 cm).

They inhabit rocky habitats, scrubland, and forests around the elevations of 1968.5 ft (600 m) above mean sea level. This species is awake at night, which means it is nocturnal and loves to burrow where it is. The Elvira rat species are listed in Schedule 5 of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act.

It is not available or found in any protected areas. This species of Elvira rat is considered a critically endangered species.

The major threat to this rat species is a decline in their habitat due to the expansion of human settlements, mining in the foothills. Uncontrolled grazing in the area also contributes to habitat decline. Elvira rats are solitary species of rodents but come in packs and pairs during breeding.

Elvira rat matures quickly. It reaches its sexual maturity in four to eight weeks.

Their gestation period is short, lasting for about three weeks. One rat or rodent gives birth to a couple of pups within 25 days after their first litter. Female mice can conceive in 24-48 hours after giving birth to their offspring due to heat.

You can also learn more about other species of animals with our water buffalo facts and little red flying fox facts.

Elvira Rat Interesting Facts

What type of animal is an Elvira rat?

Elvira rat is a rodent species of rat from the family Muridae. They are critically endangered species.

What class of animal does an Elvira rat belong to?

The Elvira rat is a species of rodent that belongs to the class Mammalia. Elvira rats, Cremnomys elvira, are large rock rats from the family Muridae.

How many Elvira rats are there in the world?

The total number of Elvira rats present across the world is unknown. Although it is known that their population is Critically Endangered due to their decreasing population.

Where does an Elvira rat live?

This species is found in the Salem District of the Eastern Ghats Tamil Nadu, India. Other than this, it is rare to find them in other regions.

What is an Elvira rat's habitat?

These rats generally inhabit rocky habitats, and dry scrub forests at elevations of 1968 ft (600 m), above sea level. They can also be seen in wetlands.

Who do Elvira rats live with?

Elvira rats are a solitary species of rodents but live in packs and pairs during the breeding season. This species of rodents are majorly found in Tamil Nadu, India.

How long does an Elvira rat live?

Elvira rat Cremnomys have a lifespan of between two to four years. This species is nocturnal, like most rat species. They live in tropical dry scrub forests and rocky cliffs. Their life span may be shorter than estimated as they are preyed on by other predators like birds, reptiles, and other wild animals.

How do they reproduce?

Rattus Elvira are a solitary species of rodent but live in packs and pairs during breeding. Elvira rat matures quickly. It reaches its sexual maturity in four to eight weeks.

Their gestation period is short. It is for about three weeks.

One female rat or rodent gives birth to a couple of pups within 25 days after their first litter. Female mice can conceive in 24-48 hours after giving birth to their offspring due to heat. They can populate quite fast, but due to environmental factors, their population has been decreasing.

What is their conservation status?

Rattus Elvira is an endangered species under high pressure from habitat destruction through human settlements, urban developments, logging, grazing, and dumping of mining debris. It was earlier categorized as Vulnerable in 2008, but now it has been upgraded to Critically Endangered by the IUCN. The brown rat is also an endangered species.

Elvira Rat Fun Facts

What do Elvira rats look like?

Elvira rats have different coloration.

Elvira rats are a large rock rat species. Their body length is around 5.8-7.7 in (14.7-19.5 cm). Their top parts are of a brown-gray color, whereas the lower parts are gray-white. The tail of the Elvira rat is bicolored.

The top parts are brownish gray in coloration, which makes them easy to distinguish from other rats. They are quite big compared to other rock rats. These rats are nocturnal in nature. They are active and hunt at night while they rest in their burrows during the day.

How cute are they?

Elvira rats are cute-looking rock rats, like the brush mouse.

How do they communicate?

The Elvira rat (Cremnomys elvira) generally communicates through gestures, sound, and calls.

How big is an Elvira rat?

Being from a Muridae family, the species is quite a big rock rat. The total head and body length of this rat is around 5.8-7.7 in (14.7-19.5 cm), which is three times bigger than a kangaroo rat.

How fast can an Elvira rat run?

These rats species have a good running speed like any other rat. But their definite speed is unknown.

How much does an Elvira rat weigh?

This family Muridae Cremnomys elvira rat weighs around 0.1-0.4 oz (3-12 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Cremnomys elvira rats, both males and females, have no sex-specific names.

What would you call a baby Elvira rat?

A baby Elvira rat is known as a pup.

What do they eat?

Cremnomys elvira rats eat seeds, nuts, grass, and plants. Rat Cremnomys elvira from the family Muridae is an endangered species under high pressure from habitat destruction through human settlements, urban developments,  logging, grazing, and dumping of mining debris.

It was earlier in 2008 under the status Vulnerable, but now it has been upgraded to the conservation status of Critically Endangered species by the IUCN.

Are they dangerous?

No, Cremnomys elvira rats are not dangerous.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, they will make a good pet. However, it is rare to raise them as pets since they are a critically endangered species of rats.

Did you know...

Elvira rats (Cremnomys elvira) are a species of rodent, endemic to India. There are only around 12 species of Elvira rats across the world.

How many babies do Elvira rats have?

Elvira rat (Cremnomys elvira) has around three to eight pups. These species of rodents are endangered species of rats.

Is Elvira rat nocturnal?

The Elvira rat (Cremnomys elvira) is a nocturnal and fossorial (burrowing) rodent living in tropical dry deciduous scrub forests.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other Mammals from our European otter facts and gray wolf facts pages

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable elvira rat coloring pages.

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Written by Oluwatosin Michael

Bachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

Oluwatosin Michael picture

Oluwatosin MichaelBachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

With a Bachelor's in Microbiology from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oluwatosin has honed his skills as an SEO content writer, editor, and growth manager. He has written articles, conducted extensive research, and optimized content for search engines. His expertise extends to leading link-building efforts and revising onboarding strategies. 

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