The Spinifex Hopping Mouse is a true rodent as its common name suggests. It is most commonly found in red sandy habitats, usually with a ground cover of spinifex. Prior to European settlement, there were nine species of Hopping Mouse living in Central Australia. Today only four remain, some of which, including the Spinifex Hopping Mouse, are still relatively common. The Spinifex Hopping Mouse obtains all of its moisture requirements from its food which consists of seeds, roots, shoots and various invertebrates. It avoids the extreme desert heat by sheltering in an extensive warren system in small social groups. Distribution of the Spinifex Hopping Mouse in Australia.

 © 2008 The Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden