Posted on 02/19/2009 3:52:59 PM PST by nickcarraway
A 2.7kg rat bearing 2.5cm-long teeth has been caught in China.
The nightmarish creature, which has a 30cm tail, was trapped last weekend in Fuzhou, a city along China's south coast, Britain's Telegraph newspaper reports.
The rat catcher, known only as Mr Xian, said he pounced on the creature after spotting a crowd gathering around it.
He said he had to muster up the courage before grabbing its tail and picking it up by the neck.
Mr Xian said he thought the rat may be a rare species or a valuable specimen.
He is believed to still be in possession of the animal after putting it into a bag and leaving with it.
Local wildlife experts believe the rat is a bamboo rat but say they will need to look at more photographs before making a final identification.
Chinese bamboo rats are never normally bigger than 25cm but the Sumatra bamboo rat, found in south-western China, can grow up to 75cm long and weigh up to 3.5kg.
The Chinese bamboo rats are sometimes sold for meat at local markets.
The largest rat in the world is thought to be the African giant pouched rat, which can grow up to 91cm in length.
“Did you see the prow on that steamer?”
Coming soon to babyfood jars everywhere.
Coypu
I didn’t think the Chinese were looking for Soros...
I saw one in the early evening, over ten years ago in the Hunts Point Section of the Bronx. Eating out of a garbage can, big as a house-cat and staring down me and my friend. It stared us down as to say: we were disturbing it’s meal. The Rats of New York will stare you down./Just Asking - seoul62......
Or he doesn’t eat them.
LOL :)
Ahh, They'll, ahh, nevah take, ahh, me alive!
I’ve eaten Bamboo Rat. Tasted like chicken.
But really — I HAVE eaten Bamboo Rat! It is a specialty in Guilin, China and I was on a culinary tour. What did it taste like? Bamboo Rat.
You know, if someone were to rewrite The Princess Bride in chinese, using chinese cultural references, it would probable be a runaway box office hit...
ML/NJ
I think al would appreciate that photo. He has always seemed a bit transgendered to moi!
So were these gangster rats protecting their turf?
Yes, straight up hood-rats. They will stare you straight up: Morning, Noon or Night makes no difference to them./Just Asking - seoul62........
GROSS GROSS GROSS!
Hold mah beer. Might need the Weatherby for this one.
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