Definition of stick-nest rat in US English:

noun

• A fluffy-haired gregarious Australian rat which builds nests of interwoven sticks.

  Genus Leporillus, family Muridae: two species, in particular L. conditor

  Example sentences

  • ‘Unfortunately the greater stick-nest rat no longer exists on the mainland of Australia.’
  • ‘Scientists use the old nests or middens of stick-nest rats to find out about the climate and types of plants that have grown in the region over the past 10,000 years.’
  • ‘As you look closer you can see footprints in the red dunes of hopping mice, Bolam's mice, plains mice, stick-nest rats, bilbies, burrowing bettongs and more.’
  • ‘Other rodents, such as dassie rats, stick-nest rats, and hyraxes create middens in other arid parts of the world, such as Africa, Australia and the Middle East.’
  • ‘Zoos intending to keep greater stick-nest rats should do so in close cooperation with one of the existing holdings and benefit from their experience in keeping and breeding the species.’