The world’s oldest mouse is a specimen living in captivity, Guinness World Records officials said in a statement released Wednesday by the San Diego Zoo.

At the age of nine years and 209 days, Pat, named after actor Patrick Stewart, the main character of the television series “Star Trek”, is a California pocket mouse (Chaetodipus californicus), a species that can be found in the coastal regions of southern California – between Los Angeles and San Diego – and who appreciates fine sand.

Chaetodipus californicus is also considered the smallest mouse species in North America.

“This award is also a symbol of recognition for species that are not familiar to the public because they are not charismatic,” said Debra Shier, deputy director of the San Diego Zoo. “These species are equally important to the functioning of the ecosystem,” she added.

Indeed, small rodents play a crucial role in their ecosystems, dispersing plant seeds and promoting their growth by digging and loosening the soil.

The Guinness Book of World Records is a truly global institution with a mission to record records set in a variety of fields. (Agerpress)

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