Otomys irroratus
The Southern African Vlei Rat is found in South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The species is closely associated with wet and marshy areas in grassland and heathland, often on mountains and hillsides, feeding mainly on fresh shoots of grasses, reeds and sedges. Like others of the family the Southern African Vlei Rat is diurnal and move along singly or in family groups using well worn pathways radiating from their nest, built in a thicket using a variety of plant materials.
The Southern African Vlei Rat is extremely fertile and females may have up to 7 litters of as many as 7 babies each in a year. The babies are weaned by the time they’re between 2 and 3 weeks old and females are sexually mature before they’re 3 months of age. Fully grown adults weigh around 120g and measure about 25cm in length (including their tail). They have a life expectancy of less than 2 years in the wild and are a favourite prey of a wide range of predatory mammals and birds.
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