Creator Gould's Mammals of Australia (1845-1863)

Date 1863

Gould wrote that the 'Golden-bellied Beaver-Rat' (Hydromys chrysogaster) was 'distinguished by the bright golden colouring of the sides of the face, lips, throat, shoulders, flanks and belly... The native habitat of the Hydromys chrysogaster is New South Wales or Van Diemen's Land... frequenting muddy sides of creeks and water-holes and the banks fo the larger rivers and inlets of the sea. The water is its native element; it swims and dives with the greatest facility, and easily secludes itself from view amidst sedges lining the waters edge, or by descending to its hole...'..Once hunted for its soft fur and considered a pest animal, until a protection order in 1938. A campaign in the 1980s to rename the water rat by indigenous name, Rakali, was successfully reversed the stigma attached to this native Australian rodent. With a body size of around 30cm, Rakalis live in burrows on the banks of rivers, lakes and estuaries and feed on aquatic insects, fish, crustaceans, mussels, snails, frogs, birds' eggs and water birds. They are widespread across Australia and New Guinea. (Syn Hydromus fulvolavatus: Gould)

Source: Smithsonian Library