There are two groups of Madagascar jumping rats at the Zoo.
The first group lives in the Rare Animal Conservation Center:
Rosalie: Female, born at the zoo on March 12, 2009. Rosalie is the sister of Pandora and Edward, and is the twin of Esme.
Pandora: Female, born at the zoo on August 22, 2009. Pandora is the sister of Rosalie, Esme, and Edward.
Monti: Female, born at the zoo on September 7, 2008. She is the first hand reared Madagascar giant jumping rat in the world. Monti is the daughter of Malorie.
Ricky: Male, born January 16, 2008 at Africa Alive!, a zoo in the United Kingdom. He arrived in Philadelphia on October 17, 2012.
The second group lives in the nocturnal wing of the Small Mammal House:
Malorie: Female, born September 14, 2003 at the Marwell Zoological Park in the United Kingdom. She arrived here on December 15, 2004. Malorie is Monti’s dam (mother).
Edward: Male, born July 18, 2009. Edward is the brother of Rosalie, Esme, and Pandora.
The seventh jumping rat lives off-exhibit in the Children’s Zoo where she is used for educational programs.
Esme: Female, born March 12, 2009. Esme is sister to Pandora and Edward, and is the twin of Rosalie.
Madagascar giant jumping rats have large ears and a long sparsely furred tail. They have thick fur that is usually brownish gray on the upper parts and cream color on the underside and feet. They resemble small kangaroos because their rear feet are large in comparison to the front - an adaptation for jumping. This is the largest rodent found on the island of Madagascar.
Longevity
Little is known about their average lifespan in the wild, but in captivity they have been known to live as long as 12 years - although this is uncommon.
Behavior
Since they are small, secretive and rare, very little is known about their natural history. They are strictly nocturnal and live in complex burrows in an exclusive territory. They communicate with a wide array of sounds including trills and barks.
Reproduction
GJRs live in stable family group consisting of a monogamous pair, their current offspring, and offspring from the previous year who help raise the new litter. Unlike many other rodents, they have small litters - usually only 1 or 2. The offspring are weaned at approximately 4 weeks of age, but they often stay with their parents for two years.
Conservation Status
On the 2012 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Madagascar giant jumping rat is listed as Endangered.
To learn more about the conservation efforts at the Philadelphia Zoo, click here.