Servant mouse

Servant mouse
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Placentalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Genus:	Mus
Species:	M. famulus
Binomial name
Mus famulus Bonhote, 1898

The servant mouse (Mus famulus) or Bonhote's mouse, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in the Western Ghats of South India, where it is restricted to Eravikulam National Park, Avalanche, Kalapatti, and Coonoor.

Habitat and ecology

The servant mouse is a nocturnal terrestrial rodent. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is typically observed in the area having elevation in the range of 1,540–2,400 m (5,050–7,870 ft).

Conservation status

The servant mouse has been classified as on the IUCN Red List as Endangered since 1996 primarily because of wide spread habitat destruction. The current habitable area is estimated to be less than 500 km² (190 sq mi), which is thought to be declining in extent and quality. It has been listed in the schedule V of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act. 1972 amended in 2002.

References

• Musser, G. G.; Carleton, M. D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 894–1531. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.