Short-tailed hopping mouse

Notomys amplus

Blamed on cats

IUCN status: Extinct

Last seen: Notomys amplus were last seen in 1896 in Charlotte Waters, NT (IUCN 2023)

IUCN claim: “The reasons for the loss of this species are unknown, but may be related to predation by introduced species such as foxes and feral cats”

Studies in support

Short-tailed hopping mice were last confirmed at Charlotte Waters, NT, 16-26 years after cats arrived (Wallach and Lundgren 2025).

Studies not in support

No studies

Is the threat claim evidence-based?

NA

Evidence linking Notomys amplus to cats. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of cats. Error bars show record uncertainty range. Predator arrival records were digitized from Abbott 2008.
Evidence linking Notomys amplus to cats. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of cats. Error bars show record uncertainty range. Predator arrival records were digitized from Abbott 2008.

References

Abbott, The spread of the cat, Felis catus, in Australia: re-examination of the current conceptual model with additional information. Conservation Science Western Australia 7 (2008).

IUCN Red List. https://www.iucnredlist.org/ Accessed June 2023

Wallach A.D., Lundgren E.J. (2025) Review of evidence that foxes and cats cause extinctions of Australia’s endemic mammals. BioScience. DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf046