Jim had spotted the elusive creatures several times over the years high up in the rainforest of Nevis Peak, but only managed to get some clear photographs of them recently.

He sent the photos off to some biologists of his acquaintance at Texas Tech University, in Lubbock Texas, Peter Larsen and Jon Hanson.

 

Dr. Hanson replied immediately..."we are keenly interested in the implications of these reports. As I am sure you are aware most endemic rodents from that region are considered to be extinct.  Recent work in the Galapagos has shown that similar situation where previous extinct rodents were discovered to still exist. If this is a relictual rodent population its conservation would be of the utmost importance."

Dr. Hanson went on say that the discovery could be so significant that he and his colleagues would like to "...submit a grant to National Geographical Society to to secure funding for biologically
sensitive surveying."

 

In a follow up email from Dr. Robert J. Baker, Horn Professor, Biological Sciences, Director, Natural Science Research Laboratory, Curator of Mammal, Texas Tech University, he states that..

"We have reviewed the literature and we think that there is indeed a high probability that the mouse you are seeing is Megalomys, which is a genus endemic to the Antilles.  In most places, it is believed to be extinct, although that may not be true.   Megalomys was reported from Antigua, Barbuda, St. Maarten, and St. Lucia in the early 1900’s."