Charada vlei rat (Otomys fortior) is a species of rodent in the family of Muridae. It is endemic to southwestern Ethiopia. Taxonomy Thomas (1906) initially described this species under the name Otomys typus fortior. It was then elevated to species status by Dollmann (1915). It was again re-included under O. typus (Ethiopian vlei rat) in the classification by Allen in 1939. Taylor et al. (2011) would be moved back Otomys fortior to species status, arguing that the biogeographical and ecological separation of the species from the other members of the genus in the region was sufficient. Conservation It is known from less than 10 locations in Ethiopia and its population is suggested to be declining as well as its habitat, hence the assessment of the species as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN. References Mammals of Ethiopia Mammals described in 1906 Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas