Mouse thought extinct for 150 years found on island

1 Jul 2021

Image depicting mouse in Australia, thought to be extinct

Mouse thought extinct for 150 years found on island

Mouse thought extinct for 150 years found on islandThe Gould's mouse is an Australian mouse that was last seen in 1857 - about 150 years ago. Since then, scientists thought it had gone extinct (disappeared forever).

But amazingly, scientists have rediscovered it on an island around Western Australia. Actually, it turns out that another mouse called the "Shark Bay mouse" or "djoongari" is the same as Gould's mouse. So, this mouse had been around the whole time!

The mouse was once common across the country but due to diseases and loss of forests, scientists thought they were extinct. Now, they are located on a single small island. However, to ensure their safety, scientists have also taken some of them to other islands.
Animals in Australia
While this is good news, scientists found that many animals in Australia have died out since 1788. It is also because, at that time, Europeans came to Australia and brought other animals. These outside animals affected local ones.

Most of Australia's mammals are endemic. This means they are not found anywhere else on Earth. So, it is important to make sure that they are safe. Watch a video about them below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkCq54_ho-A

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The Gould’s mouse is an Australian mouse that was last seen in 1857 – about 150 years ago. Since then, scientists thought it had gone […]

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