The Status of Nepal's Mammals: The National Red List Series - IUCN

Species Description
Red-brown rodent with a long tail that is brown
above and yellow-grey below. Head is vole-like with
large eyes. Ears very large and conch-like and hairy
on the outside. A unique characteristic of this rat are
its naked and black hind feet soles.
Species Ecology
The preferred habitat for the Indian Bush-rat is
bush and scrub jungle; however it also occurs in
grasslands and scrub forests, cultivated lands and
bushes.
Little is known about the reproductive parameters
of the species.
Conservation Status
Global: Least Concern
National: Least Concern
Rationale for assessment: This species is considered
Least Concern in view of its wide distribution across
Nepal (with an extent of occurrence exceeding that
to qualify for a threat category). It is regarded as a
common species and probably occurs within several
protected areas.
Legal Status
National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029
(1973)
National Population Size
There is no information available on the population
size of this species in Nepal.
National Distribution
This species occurs across Nepal in the Terai and
lowland areas and likely to occur within the
protected areas of Bardia National Park, Chitwan
National Park, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Parsa
Wildlife Reserve, Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve.
However the Indian Bush-rats presence in these
areas needs to be confirmed.
Distribution outside Nepal
India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.
Main Threats
• Habitat loss.
• Habitat degradation (invasive alien
plant species).
• Human encroachment.
References
Suwal and Verheugt 1995, Molur et al. 2005, Baral and Shah 2008, Sakthivel and Neelanarayanan 2009.
94) Hylopetes alboniger (Hodgson, 1836)
Common Names
Particolored Flying Squirrel (English); Male Rajpankhi
Lokharke (Nepali)
Synonyms
Sciuropterus alboniger (Hodgson, 1836); Pteromys
leachii, Sciuropterus turnbulli (Gray, 1837)
Species Description
This species has a hoary or black body with white
underparts and a long flattened tail.
Species Ecology
The Particolored Flying Squirrel is found in tropical
and subtropical montane forests and temperate oak
and rhododendron forests at elevations between
1,500 m to 3,400 m. Its main diet consists of fruits,
nuts, leaves and buds.
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