Hastings River Mouse - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Pseudomys oralis

Conservation status in NSW: Endangered

Commonwealth status: Endangered

Profile last updated: 02 Nov 2023

Description

The Hastings River Mouse is a small rodent with a head-and-body length of about 17 cm. It has brownish-grey fur above, buff to greyish-white fur below and white feet. The 15 cm long tail is also furred white on the underside. They have large, bulging eyes surrounded by a black eye-ring and a strongly rounded snout.

Distribution

A patchy distribution spanning the Great Dividing Range from the Hunter Valley, south of Mt Royal, north to the Bunya Mountains near Kingaroy in south-east Queensland, at elevations between 300 m and 1100 m.

Habitat and ecology

A variety of dry open forest types with dense, low ground cover and a diverse mixture of ferns, grass, sedges and herbs.
Access to seepage zones, creeks and gullies is important, as is permanent shelter such as rocky outcrops and fallen logs.
Nests may be in either gully areas or ridges and slopes. They eat seeds, leaves, insects and fungi.
Home range is generally between 0.5ha and 4ha and there may be some overlap with other individuals.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Large-scale clearing for development and agriculture that removes tracts of grassy open sclerophyll forest.
Vegetation clearing for development and agriculture that results in barriers to movement or changes in vegetation structure.
Cattle grazing and trampling of preferred habitat, especially close to water.
Inappropriate fire regimes that fail to protect ground cover diversity and health in open forests.
Predation by foxes.
Predation by feral cats.
Loss of coarse woody debris due to fire, grazing or other disturbances.
Limited understanding of the species' fire ecology and population response to disturbance.
Changes in fire regimes and rainfall patterns that affect forest vegetation structure.
Reduction in ground cover health, diversity and abundance due to competition with Lantana camara
Reduction in ground cover health, diversity and abundance due to competition with Blackberry
Rabbits overgrazing and affecting ground cover diversity and abundance.

Recovery strategies

A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click here

Activities to assist this species

Control foxes and feral cats.
Manage burning off activities to retain diverse understorey species.
Limit logging or clearing upstream of potential habitat.
Reduce the impact of grazing and trampling by cattle in areas of potential habitat.
Conserve dry open forest with dense ground cover.

Information sources

Menkhorst, P. and Knight, F. (2001) A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford Uni Press, Melbourne.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) Threatened Species of the Lower North Coast of New South Wales. (NSW NPWS, Hurstville)
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) Threatened Species of the Upper North Coast of NSW: Fauna. (NSW NPWS, Coffs Harbour)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

New England Tablelands	Armidale Plateau	Known	Above 250 m altitude
New England Tablelands	Northeast Forest Lands	Known	Above 250 m altitude
New England Tablelands	Stanthorpe Plateau	Known	Above 250 m altitude
New England Tablelands	Walcha Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Wongwibinda Plateau	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Barrington	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Carrai Plateau	Known	Above 250 m altitude
NSW North Coast	Chaelundi	Known	Above 250 m altitude
NSW North Coast	Coffs Coast and Escarpment	Known	Above 250 m altitude
NSW North Coast	Comboyne Plateau	Known	Above 300 m altitude
NSW North Coast	Dalmorton	Known	Above 250 m altitude
NSW North Coast	Macleay Gorges	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Mummel Escarpment	Known	Above 300 m altitude
NSW North Coast	Rocky River Gorge	Known	Above 250 m altitude
NSW North Coast	Tomalla	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Manning	Known	Above 250 m altitude
NSW North Coast	Washpool	Known	Above 250 m altitude
Other State	QLD	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Scenic Rim	Known	Above 250 m altitude