Wildlifeof China
Short-tailed Bandicoot Rat
Rats, Mice, Voles & Porcupines
Photo: William Thomas Blanford · Public domain
Nesokia indica
Basic stats
Diet
Roots, bulbs, grain and cultivated plants
Habitat
Grassland, riverbanks, irrigated fields and farmland
Range
North Africa and western Asia eastward into South Asia and western China
Size
Approximately 15–27cm head-and-body length
Weight
Approximately 100–500g
The short-tailed bandicoot rat is a robust burrowing rodent with a broad head, small eyes and ears, coarse brown fur and a tail distinctly shorter than its body. Adults measure approximately 15–27cm excluding the tail. Its broad range stretches from North Africa and western Asia into South Asia and western China. (Wikipedia, general species account)
It occupies grassland, riverbanks, irrigated fields and farmland, excavating extensive tunnel systems. Roots, bulbs, grain and cultivated plants are eaten and sometimes stored underground. Most activity occurs at night, although soil mounds and damaged vegetation reveal occupied burrows. (Wikipedia, general species account)
Quick answers
- What does the Short-tailed Bandicoot Rat eat?
- Roots, bulbs, grain and cultivated plants
- What habitat does the Short-tailed Bandicoot Rat live in?
- Grassland, riverbanks, irrigated fields and farmland
- Where is the Short-tailed Bandicoot Rat found?
- North Africa and western Asia eastward into South Asia and western China
- How big is the Short-tailed Bandicoot Rat?
- Approximately 15–27cm head-and-body length
- How much does the Short-tailed Bandicoot Rat weigh?
- Approximately 100–500g