Rare species of rodent captured on West Virginia trail camera

On a West Virginia way successful nan Allegheny mountains, an elusive rodent considered to beryllium a "sensitive species," was spotted.

Officials of Monongahela National Forest, a portion of nan U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, posted a video connected Facebook past week showing a mini animal moving astir successful nan darkness.

The way camera had captured a 17-inch-long rodent known arsenic an Allegheny woodrat which is connected nan Regional Forester’s Sensitive Species list, nan station said.

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The footage showing nan woodrat was recorded connected March 12, 2024.

A way camera successful West Virginia captured video of an elusive and notable "species of concern," called nan Allegheny woodrat, roaming astir successful nan acheronian connected March 12. ( U.S. Forest Service - Monongahela National Forest )

The societal media station noted that Allegheny woodrats dwell "primarily successful hardwood forests pinch plentifulness of rocks and boulders."

And while nan sanction and size of nan animal whitethorn allude to a rat, nan woodrats are much intimately related to mice, according to officials.

The organization of Allegheny woodrats is slow declining successful nan U.S., pinch an estimated organization of 100,000 in nan wild, nan U.S. Forest Service reported.

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There is still speculation surrounding nan rodent's decline, but scientists person a fewer ideas.

The Allegheny woodrat is simply a type of interest successful galore states that's typically seen successful nan northeast. It's considered to beryllium "threatened and protected" successful Pennsylvania. ( U.S. Forest Service - Monongahela National Forest )

"Many scientists blasted nan gypsy moth, which harms acorn-bearing oak trees (an important nutrient root for Allegheny woodrats) and residence degradation," nan U.S. Forest Service wrote successful nan Facebook post.

In 2018, nan U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considered nan Allegheny woodrat to beryllium a "species of concern" and successful immoderate states, including Pennsylvania, nan rodent is listed arsenic "threatened and protected."

Common predators of nan elusive animal see raccoons, coyotes, weasels, awesome horned owls and achromatic rat snakes, nan Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) reported.

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"At 1 time, nan Allegheny woodrat's scope extended from southwestern Connecticut westbound to Indiana and southbound to bluish Alabama. It is now extirpated from Connecticut and New York, studies successful remaining bluish states archive decline, and its position successful southern states is chartless because of a shortage of caller surveys," according to nan PGC.

The Allegheny woodrat's organization has declined successful nan U.S. and nan U.S. Parks Services reported that location are only 100,000 near successful nan wild. (U.S. Forest Service - Monongahela National Forest /iStock)

In 2022, some big and young Allegheny woodrats were discovered successful West Virginia's Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, making this nan first clip nan animal had been seen for 20 years, nan National Park Service wrote.

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Prior to nan discovery, officials were convinced nan rodent had gone extinct successful nan area and different parts on nan Appalachian.

Fox News Digital reached retired to nan U.S. Forest Service for comment.

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