CR

Slender-tailed Deer Mouse

Habromys lepturus

Declining

Overview

The Zempoaltepec deer mouse also known as the slender-tailed deer mouse, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae.

Habromys lepturus faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and habitat fragmentation within its extremely limited range in the cloud forests of central Mexico. Agricultural expansion, particularly coffee cultivation and cattle ranching, has eliminated much of the species' montane forest habitat. The mouse's specialized requirements for dense understory vegetation and specific elevational zones make it particularly vulnerable to even small-scale habitat modifications.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits cloud forests and pine-oak forests at elevations between 1,800-3,000 meters in the mountains of central Mexico. It requires dense understory vegetation with abundant leaf litter and fallen logs, typically in areas with high humidity and frequent fog cover.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist montane· major

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Slender-tailed Deer Mouse classified as Critically Endangered?
Slender-tailed Deer Mouse is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Habromys lepturus faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and habitat fragmentation within its extremely limited range in the cloud forests of central Mexico. Agricultural expansion, particularly coffee cultivation and cattle ranching, has eliminated much of the species' montane forest habitat. The mouse's specialized requirements for dense understory vegetation and specific elevational zones make it particularly vulnerable to even small-scale habitat modifications.
Where does Slender-tailed Deer Mouse live?
Slender-tailed Deer Mouse occurs in Mexico. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Slender-tailed Deer Mouse?
The main threats to Slender-tailed Deer Mouse are 5.3, ai-1, ai-2, and ai-3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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