Panay Bushy Tailed Cloud Rat

Maximum longevity: 8.8 years (captivity) Observations: Not much is known about this recently discovered nocturnal animals exclusive to the island of Panay (Ronald Nowak 1999). One captive specimen lived for 8.8 years (Richard Weigl 2005). Because only a few specimens have been studied in detail, the maximum longevity of this endangered species could be underestimated.

Cloud rats are arboreal, nocturnal animals that usually spend most of the day sleeping in holes of large trees (1) (6). Their diet typically consists of tender young leaves, bananas, guavas and young corns (1) (6). One captive specimen of this species lived for almost nine years, but the maximum potential lifespan is unknown (7).

Cloud rats are among the wildlife species protected by the Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, an organisation dedicated to the conservation of Philippine biodiversity with links to a number of conservation groups nationally and internationally (6) (8). The Panay bushy-tailed cloud rat has been bred in captivity, including the UK's London Zoo, the first institution outside of the Philippines to successfully breed the rat. The aim is to establish a viable captive population outside of the Philippines as an 'insurance population' (4). Captive populations also provide important opportunities to study the behaviour and biology of this species, which can in turn feed into creating more appropriate conservation measures in the future to protect the wild Panay bushy-tailed cloud rat.

First discovered in 1987, the Panay bushy-tailed cloud rat is a large, squirrel-like rodent with long, grizzled greyish-brown fur and a long, bushy tail (2) (3) (4). The second largest of the four known Crateromys species, which are all endemic to the Philippines, this species measures just over two feet from its nose to the tip of its tail (2).

Found in lowland primary and secondary forest to approximately 400 m above sea level (5).

Endemic to the Philippine island of Panay, where it is now confined to a mountain range on the western part of the island (2).

Classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List (1).

Like other cloud rats, the Panay bushy-tailed cloud rat is threatened primarily by wide-scale deforestation and habitat destruction (1) (6). Additionally, cloud rats are hunted for their meat and to be kept as pets (6).

The Panay cloudrunner was discovered by western scientists in 1987 and was described as a new species in 1996 by Robert Kennedy of the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History and Pedro Gonzales of the National Museum of the Philippines. This large, squirrel-like rodent has long, grizzled greyish-brown fur and a long, bushy tail (2-4). It is the second largest of the four known Crateromys species, all endemic to the Philippines, with a total length of just over 60 cm (2 ft) (2); the bushy tail is usually longer than the body. The rat weighs around 1 kg (10). It has a thick, soft coat of black, grizzled grey and umber-brown fur and a black tail. It has a short face with chubby cheeks, small, round ears, small, black eyes and a tapering, hairless muzzle with long whiskers. The large, thick hind feet are larger than the forefeet; the palmar and plantar regions are naked. The forefeet contain 3 interdigital and 2 palmar pads. C. heaneyi inhabits various habitats in the northern part of the Greater Negros-Panay Faunal Region (9) on the Panay Mountain Range in the western part of Panay island in the west-central Philippines (2,10). These include lowland tropical primary and secondar growth evergreen rainforest formations up to 400 m (5,12,13) and patches of forest in agricultural and grassland areas. Local people suggest it occurs in montane mossy forest up to a much higher altitude. It lives, It probably had a wider distribution when forest more of the island. The cloudrunner is an arboreal, non-migratory, nocturnal rat that usually spends most of the day sleeping in hollows of large trees (1,6). Self-grooming is common after meals and confrontations and allogrooming occurs in some family groups. It is primarily herbivorous and usually feeds on tender young leaves of various trees and shrubs, as well as papaya, bananas, guavas and young corns (1,6,10,11). It carries food in its incisors and holds it between its forefeet. Captives show a preference for high-energy sugary foods. Cloudrunners give birth to 1-2 young per litter. Adults may live alone or in mating pairs with or without 1-2 young. A captive lived almost 9 years (7,14). The Red List Category is Endangered, as its extent of occurrence is below 5,000 km2, its distribution is severely fragmented and there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its forest habitat. The primary threat to its existence is habitat destruction through deforestation on Panay (1,6,12,15), particularly in lowland areas, due to illegal logging and agricultural encroachment. There is a low level of hunting pressure and it is occasionally captured for food and the pet trade (6). The population trend is decreasing. There is a successful captive breeding project in Mar-it Conservation Park in Lambunao on Panay, as well as captive populations at London Zoo and elsewhere. Cloud rats are protected by the Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, with links to several conservation groups nationally and internationally (6) (8). The Panay bushy-tailed cloud rat has been bred at London Zoo, the first institution outside the Philippines to breed it. The aim is to establish a viable captive population outside of the Philippines as an 'insurance population' (4). The cloud rat clade arrived in the Philippines 15-20 million years ago. It is endemic to the Philippines and is the basal taxon of the Murinae subfamily. Molecular and morphological evidence suggests that Crateromys and Batomys form a single clade, sister to the Carpomys-Musseromys clade. Phloeomys is the basal genus of the cloud rat clade. Species of Crateromys have been found in all of the principal faunal regions corresponding with late Pleistocene islands. Morphological evidence suggests that C. heaneyi is most closely related to C. schadenbergi.

The Panay cloudrunner (Crateromys heaneyi) is the second-largest cloud rat, a squirrel-like rodent that is found on the island of Panay in the Philippines. It is the most endangered rodent species in Panay, and one of the only few known cloud rat species in the world.