In May 2011, researchers encountered a red-crested tree rat (Santamartamys rufodorsalis) in a nature reserve in Colombia, South America. This rodent had not been seen since the early 1900â˛s, and was only known from two preserved museum specimens. [x]
Very little is known about the animal due to its rarity and nocturnal behavior. It lives at altitudes of 700 to 2,000 meters and can weigh up to 500 grams.
The red-crested tree rat is classified as critically endangered due to habitat loss and predation by feral cats.














