National Museum of Natural Science

Endemic to Taiwan, this mouse is small, weighing 23-31 grams. Its dorsal pelage is ash black and its ventral pelage is ash white. It is widely distributed in the mountainous areas of Taiwan at elevations of 1,400-3,700 meters above sea level and is the dominant mouse species in Taiwan’s high-elevation areas. Its preferred habitats are areas of thick leaf cover and fallen trees with many branches on the forest floor. This mouse can be seen in leaf piles in dry ditches along mountain roads and in hiking cabins. It has also adapted to farmland and afforested areas. Although omnivorous, it mainly feeds on rhizomes and seeds.

Text/Chen Yan-Jun, Chen Mu-Xuan

Photo/Huang Xiao-Ting

Formosan wood mouse