Posted on 11/08/2015 2:32:15 PM PST by BenLurkin
The species would have looked similar to modern rats but ranged in size from about 1.5 kilograms to five kilograms.
Researcher Julien Louys said the creatures were probably herbivores and became extinct suddenly about 1,000 years ago.
He said they were the largest known rats to have ever existed and acknowledged some people thought they sounded terrifying.
"Most people seem to think that," Dr Louys said.
"But I think they would have been, well not cute, but certainly they would have been fascinating to see them in the flesh."
He said it appeared the rats were a popular meal for early humans.
"Everything from the very earliest deposits, which were around about 46,000 years old all the way up to about 1,000 years ago, we find them in deposits and there's evidence of chewing marks," Dr Louys said.
"A lot of the remains are burnt as well so they're obviously cooking them up in the fires and eating them.
"They must have been delicious because everywhere we go there are giant rats to be found."
(Excerpt) Read more at abc.net.au ...
Aside from crocodiles in the north, name one.
I was on a trip going from Vancouver to Vancouver Island. While waiting in the dark ferry slip building we heard noises outside and turned on the car lights.
Blinded in the light were lots and lots of big wharf rats, eating the stuff that people threw out of the waiting cars. I estimate to have bodies almost 2 ft long and with tails they were much longer than that.
You should have heard the screams. :-)
“I don’t believe they exist!” sayeth Wesley just as he is attacked...
I’ll bet.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.