R.O.U.S.

[HairyHeretic]

BBC - Earth News - Giant rat found in 'lost volcano'

A new species of giant rat has been discovered deep in the jungle of Papua New Guinea.

The rat, which has no fear of humans, measures 82cm long, placing it among the largest species of rat known anywhere in the world.

The creature, which has not yet been formally described, was discovered by an expedition team filming the BBC programme Lost Land of the Volcano.

It is one of a number of exotic animals found by the expedition team.

Like the other exotic species, the rat is believed to live within the Mount Bosavi crater, and nowhere else.

"This is one of the world's largest rats. It is a true rat, the same kind you find in the city sewers," says Dr Kristofer Helgen, a mammalogist based at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History who accompanied the BBC expedition team.

Ok, so giant rats aren't everyones idea of cute, but I like it :) The video in the BBC link shows the rat completely at its ease with the camera crew ... no fear whatsoever.



So far it's just called the Bosavi wooly rat, after where it's been found, but I think Rattus Goldmanus makes a decent name for it. It is a Rodent Of Unusual Size, after all :)

[Ket]

Awwwwww he's so cutes.  And docile.

[The Overlord]

Unbelievable, they were petting it and everything.

[Nimmy]

Awww cute!

The only thing slightly creepy about it is the fact that it's about the size of a human thigh. Other than that, it's an amazing discovery.

[OldSchoolGamer]

Yeah, they're all cute and furry and cuddly until they bite your hand off and acquire the taste of human flesh...  ;D

[HairyHeretic]

Well, if it is anything like mine it will much prefer beans on toast to human flesh :)

[Oniya]

Awww cute!

The only thing slightly creepy about it is the fact that it's about the size of a human thigh. Other than that, it's an amazing discovery.

So, still smaller than the capybara. 

[Nimmy]

The capybara doesn't actually look like a rat. I'm fine with most rodents... just I have a (conditioned) dislike of rats in particular. Naked tails on otherwise furry creatures are kinda freaky...

[Oniya]

So a naked mole rat would be okay?  Just kidding.  Actually, I was more curious about whether this R.O.U.S had broken any size records for rodents in general.  (I kept getting interrupted watching the video.)

[HairyHeretic]

For rodents, no, as the capybara has already been mentioned. For 'true' rats though, yes, is my understanding.