"Giant Rats of Papua New Guinea..." Topic

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The trapped rat measured 82cm in length from its nose to its tail, and weighed approximately 1.5kg.

It had a silver-brown coat of thick long fur, which the scientists who examined it believe may help it survive the wet and cold conditions that can occur within the high volcano crater. The location where the rat was discovered lies at an elevation of over 1,000m.

Initial investigations suggest the rat belongs to the genus Mallomys, which contains a handful of other out-sized species.

It has provisionally been called the Bosavi woolly rat, while its scientific name has yet to be agreed.

But of the true rats, which includes urban brown and black rats that belong to the genus Rattus, few can match the new species.

In 2007, an expedition to New Guinea led by Conservation International discovered another closely related giant woolly rat, which can weigh up to 1.4kg. It also belongs within the genus Mallomys.

However, that species lives in the Foja Mountains, part of the Mamberamo Basin.

Mount Bosavi, where the new rat was found, is an extinct volcano that lies deep in the remote Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

Thats Adorable, I want one.
I would walk it like a small dog, I hope it lives a little longer the regular sized rats, becasue for me 3 years just isn't enough for a pet

Just leave the little s where they are. It's not worth the risk of letting them reach populated areas:
YouTube link

That is one big ing rat! It really does look like it could be a pet.

Where is Holmes when we need him !!!!!

This means the .357 Magnum has just been reclassified as "Varmint Round"

Those are what keeps those Pterosaurs flying down there. ropens.com

Something's gotta serve as food to the Megalania over there (other than the occasional person).

CC

Sounds like the Giant Rat of Sumatra had some migratory relatives. Holmes would handle it smoothly. Bring forth the Tantalus and Gasogene with a slipper of shag tobacco!

I admit, that's a big ol' rat.

Just more meat on the stick for the BBQ…..

It has provisionally been called the Bosavi woolly rat, while its scientific name has yet to be agreed.

Let me propose Bosavi biggus rattus.

I think Bigass Rat will do.

Such a cool find!

Yep.

One of the few facts that I have remembered from my degree is that unlike most other animals rats do not have any genetic control over their size and continue to grow all their lives. Therefore it is limited by environmental factors such as food supply or death (tends to stop all creatures from growing that one). So the idea of a rat large enough to ride on is not that far-fetched a concept.

Kind of like how friends of mine had a lizerd that kep outgrowing its cage, so they got it a bigger cage, and another…

Later. Rinse. Repeat

They also found a tree-living kangaroo that was so tame that within a short time it was perched on the expedition leader's shoulder like a hairy parrot.

I love stories that show what man doesn't know.

"No one has ever seen one of these in ten thousand years, but evolution is just a theory."

JW

I love when we find new species, it shows, that we just don't loose species, but every now and then we find something new.

There is about 5400 known mammals, but this show it can easly be 6000, I mean we got rain forersts in south america, central africa and most of the south east asia, just think how many small rats or bats or what nots might hid there, not to mention birds.