Large Mindoro Forest Mouse

The large Mindoro forest mouse has been found at three different sites in the municipality of San Teodoro, on the North flank of Mount Halcon. These sites are located at altitudes between 1,255 and 1,900 m (4,117 and 6,234 ft). There is a good possibility, however, that the large Mindoro forest mouse also occurs on other mountains on Mindoro, especially on the northern part of the island, which is home to large areas of undamaged cloud forest. The lowest forests in which the large Mindoro forest mouse has been found, at some 1,250 m (4,100 ft) above sea level, are mostly between 14 and 16 m (46 and 52 ft) in height, with the very tallest reaching 20 m (66 ft). The dominant species of tree are from the genera Leptospermum flavescens, Tristaniopsis and Lithocarpus, from the families Myrtaceae and Fagaceae. These very humid forests have a dense understory vegetation, which consists, amongst other plants, of mosses, tree ferns and species of Pandanus. At higher altitudes (between 1,600 and 1,950 m or 5,250 and 6,400 ft) the forest is dominated by bamboo, while the only tree species present is Agathis philippinensis. Here, vegetation reaches a height between 7 and 10 m (23 and 33 ft). There are many smaller plants present, such as ferns, orchids and species of Pandanus. …