Mus famulus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Mus famulus faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range in the Western Ghats of India. Deforestation for tea and coffee plantations has fragmented its montane forest habitat, while invasive plant species alter the understory vegetation structure essential for foraging. Climate change poses an additional threat as rising temperatures force this cool-adapted species to retreat to increasingly smaller high-elevation refugia.
Habitat
This species inhabits montane evergreen forests and shola grasslands in the Western Ghats of southern India, typically at elevations between 1,500-2,500 meters. It prefers dense understory vegetation with abundant leaf litter and rocky crevices that provide shelter and foraging opportunities.
