Sigmodon hispidus
Silhouette: Natasha Vitek · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) is a rat long thought to occur in parts of South America, Central America, and southern North America. However, recent taxonomic revisions, based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data, have split this widely distributed species into three separate species (S. hispidus, S. toltecus, and S. hirsutus). The distribution of S. hispidus ranges from Arizona in the west to Virginia to the east and from the Platte River in Nebraska in the north to, likely, the Rio Grande in the south, where it meets the northern edge of the distribution of S. toltecus (formerly S. h. toltecus). Adult size is total length 202–340 mm (8.0–13.4 in); tail 87–122 mm (3.4–4.8 in), frequently broken or stubbed; hind foot 29–35 mm (1.1–1.4 in); ear 16–20 mm (0.63–0.79 in); mass 50–250 g (1.8–8.8 oz). They have been used as laboratory animals.
The currently accepted scientific name for the hispid cotton rat is Sigmodon hispidus. It is a member of the family Cricetidae. Although 25 subspecies are accepted, including the type subspecies, the most distinct genetic subdivision within S. hispidus separates the species into two genetic lineages, an eastern one and a western... Wikipedia →
Recording0:07
United States · 2025
© Lukas Sotelo · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burgers' Ocean | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | |
| 2 | Royal Burgers' Zoo | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Hispid Cotton Rat sighting in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 9th most-seen of the 11 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and June
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Hispid Cotton Rat in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, against under 5% in April and September–January, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Hispid Cotton Rat sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Among the best
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Hispid Cotton Rat sightings, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Everglades National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Hispid Cotton Rat is recorded against all the mammals logged in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (20 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
