Water Rat
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- This article deals with the Australian Water Rat. For the article concerning the European species also known as the water rat see Water Vole
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| Hydromys chrysogaster (Geoffroy, 1804) |
The Water Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster), also known as the Native Water Rat or Rakali, is an Australian native rodent, and one of only two amphibious mammals found in Australia (the other being the Platypus). The species lives in burrows on the banks of rivers, lakes and estuaries and feeds on aquatic insects, fish, crustaceans, mussels, snails, frogs, birds' eggs and water birds. Water Rats have a body 231-370 mm in length, weigh 340-1,275 g and have a thick tail measuring around 242-345 mm. They have webbed hind legs, waterproof fur, a flattened head, a long blunt nose, many whiskers and small ears and eyes. They are black to brown in colour with an orange to white belly.
The Australian Department of Environment and Heritage has recommended that the Water Rat's common name be changed to Rakali (an Indigenous Australian name), to avoid the negative connotations of "rat" and foster appreciation of the species as an Australian native animal. Both appellations are widespread.
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