Lives in dry forests of south-eastern Africa, where it is easily confused with its more widespread relative, the Woodland Thicket Rat, from which it differs mainly in its genetics and, possibly, subtle ecological preferences. Like the rest of its genus, it is a skilled climber that spends much of its life among dense vegetation rather than on the ground.
Medium-sized rodent with reddish-brown fur and a long, well-furred tail adapted for climbing. It is distinguished from the visually similar Woodland Thicket Rat mainly through genetic analysis; its known distribution serves as a rough guide.
Tracks and signs: small, five-toed track with marks from curved claws adapted for climbing. Leaves surface runways through dense vegetation and nests or burrows in tree hollows and thick scrub.
Dry forest and dense thicket in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Fruit, seeds and insects.
An agile climber, spending much of its time in dense vegetation rather than on the ground.
The species maintains a large and stable population across most of its range, with no evidence of widespread decline.
No widespread threats identified.
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