The heath mouse was first collected in 1906 by GC Shortridge east of Pingelly, Western Australia (Smith et al. 2007). Sub-fossil evidence suggests that before European colonisation the species was present in the south west of Western Australia, as far north as Shark Bay and east to Eucla. Some evidence also suggests their presence across the Nullarbor and the Eyre Peninsula (Baynes 1987). Since its initial discovery in 1906 and the capture of two live individuals in 1931, the heath mouse was not recorded again in Western Australia until its rediscovery in 1987 in the Ravensthorpe area (Baynes et al. 1987).

threatened species; feral; habitat