Colomys goslingi

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	MURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Colomys goslingi

Species Authority:

Thomas & Wroughton, 1907

Common Name/s:

English

–

African Wading Rat, African Water Rat

Taxonomic Notes:

Colomys goslingi possibly represents a complex of several similar species. Further studies are needed to clarify the taxonomic status of populations currently allocated to this species.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Kerbis Peterhans, J., Schlitter, D., Dieterlen, F. & Cotterell, F.P.D.

Reviewer/s:

Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority) & Cox, N. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern because, although it is an aquatic habitat specialist, this species is very widespread and is locally common. It is threatened in parts of its range by habitat loss, but overall this is not a problem.

History:

2004

–

Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Thi species is found in the rainforest zone and adjacent forest-savanna mosaic. It has been patchily recorded from Liberia (Lofa), western Cameroon, northeastern Angola, northwestern Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda (Mount Elgon), western Kenya, southern Sudan and western Ethiopia. The range limits are not fully resolved, but it has not been recorded from the rainforest of Central African Republic or the forests of West Africa (except Gabon and Liberia). The species has been recorded up to 3,200 m asl, while the lowest elevation recorded is about 400 m, but generally it occurs above 800 m asl.
Countries:	Native: Angola (Angola); Burundi; Cameroon; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Equatorial Guinea; Ethiopia; Gabon; Kenya; Liberia; Rwanda; Sudan; Uganda; Zambia
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It is locally common.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Colomys goslingi is most commonly found along banks of small and shallow flowing streams and around pools in tropical evergreen rainforests (lowland and montane). It has also been collected along streams in grasslands and savanna far from forest.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats to this species other than localised habitat loss in parts of the range; it is threatened in Zambia due to habitat destruction through clearing for charcoal production.

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats to this species other than localised habitat loss in parts of the range; it is threatened in Zambia due to habitat destruction through clearing for charcoal production.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The species occurs in a number of protected areas across its range.

Conservation Actions:

The species occurs in a number of protected areas across its range.

Citation:	Kerbis Peterhans, J., Schlitter, D., Dieterlen, F. & Cotterell, F.P.D. 2008. Colomys goslingi. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 May 2013.
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