Endangered top end rat numbers plummet

THE population of the endangered black-footed tree rat, native to northern Australia, has dropped 40 per cent as researchers try to find a way to save it.

AUSTRALIA has one of the world's worst records on threatened species and the black-footed tree rat is one of the latest to join the sorry line-up.

SIMILAR to a possum, the rodent is one of Australia's largest, growing up to almost one kilo and living primarily in mid-height trees, where they feed mostly on fruit.