Necromagus Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Yup, it finally escaped the Varrock sewers: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. Initially, the giant rat was first captured on film by an infrared camera trap, which BBC wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan set up in the forest on the slopes of the volcano. The expedition team from the BBC Natural History Unit recorded the rat rummaging around on the forest floor, and were awed by its size. Immediately, they suspected it could be a species never before recorded by science, but they needed to see a live animal to be sure. Then trackers accompanying the team managed to trap a live specimen. "I had a cat and it was about the same size as this rat," says Buchanan. 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. The giant rat was first sighted using an infrared camera trap Other rodents, the group of animals that includes rats, grow to a bigger size. For example, the largest rodent of all is the capybara, which lives in or near freshwater in South America. It can grow up to 130cm long and weigh up to 65kg. The Philippines is also home to a few species of cloud rat which can reach over 2kg in weight. 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. The expedition team entered the crater to explore pristine forest, where few humans have set foot. Even members of the Kasua tribe, who acted as trackers for the expedition, live outside the crater, which is 4km wide and has walls up to 1km high, trapping the creatures that live within. The island which includes Papua New Guinea and New Guinea is famous for the number and diversity of the rats and mice that live there. Over 57 species of true "Murid" rats and mice can be found on the island. The larger rats are often caught by hunters and eaten. Broadcast of The Lost Land of the Volcano series will begin on BBC One on Tuesday 8 September at 2100 BST. The discovery of the Bosavi woolly rat is broadcast as part of the series on BBC One on Tuesday 22 September. My Tip.It Times Articles (10 and counting) || The Varrock Library Author Index projectDo you dare to dream? - Part 19 added. || The Hospital (WIP) - New story!Necromagus looks like a viking ... with glasses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zierro Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Looks like a fat ferret. :lol: It's actually pretty cute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate_Felix Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Does he beat the capibara? [hide]Felix, je moeder.Je moeder felixJe vader, felix.Felix, je oma.Felix, je ongelofelijk gave pwnaze avatar B)Felix, je moeder.[/hide] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_love_burritos Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Haha, looks kinda' cute actually. :lol: Doesn't really look like a level 3 though. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me_Hate_Libs Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Well, why not? They don't need to evolve into smalelr creatures to survive or anything. Can I buy one? I'd love to walk that thing down the street on a leash. 8-) This website and its contents are copyright © 1999 - 2010 Jagex Ltd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Necromagus Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share Posted September 8, 2009 Does he beat the capibara?Other rodents, the group of animals that includes rats, grow to a bigger size. For example, the largest rodent of all is the capybara, which lives in or near freshwater in South America. It can grow up to 130cm long and weigh up to 65kg. My Tip.It Times Articles (10 and counting) || The Varrock Library Author Index projectDo you dare to dream? - Part 19 added. || The Hospital (WIP) - New story!Necromagus looks like a viking ... with glasses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me_Hate_Libs Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Does he beat the capibara?Other rodents, the group of animals that includes rats, grow to a bigger size. For example, the largest rodent of all is the capybara, which lives in or near freshwater in South America. It can grow up to 130cm long and weigh up to 65kg. And Zierro would try and have sex with it. On another note, that thing looks pretty hamless, if not friendly, and due to it's location, probably isn't as diseased as the rodents around here. Pet anyone? :) This website and its contents are copyright © 1999 - 2010 Jagex Ltd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seraphi Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Agreed. I want one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obfuscator Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I find it interesting how new species can still be discovered after all this time. And it was pretty cute ;) "It's not a rest for me, it's a rest for the weights." - Dom Mazzetti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giordano Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Yup, it finally escaped the Varrock sewers Haha, I was thinking the same thing. I really find it interesting how new species can still be discovered after all this time. :D "The cry of the poor is not always just, but if you never hear it you'll never know what justice is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollerz Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 And there are still thousands, even millions of undiscovered species... Click my signature for my blog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dark Lord Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I want one. SWAG Mayn U wanna be like me but U can't be me cuz U ain't got ma swagga on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alg Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Can I buy one? I'd love to walk that thing down the street on a leash. 8-) :lol: "I call him Fluffy" I painted some stuff and put it on tumblr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdgedThesis Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Bruce. He looks like a Bruce. But I don't want to go among mad people!Oh, you can't help that. We're all mad here..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gauper_kid Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Hardly what I would call giant.... I was kind of expecting some giant rodent that would devour my head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgelemmons Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Yeah, but would you like that rat in your basement? :lol: I personally love the BBC's nature photography and video - it's amazing. Thanks to Uno for the awsome sig <3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Sweet god! Get my bronze longsword! On another note, This looks like a pretty interesting discovery. Popoto.~<3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gauper_kid Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 [insert Runescape reference here] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenticular_J Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 How does it taste? catch it now so you can like it before it went so mainstream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bauke Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I definitely want one. Had a few "small" rats, now it's time to move up to the bigger ones :) And it would be awesome walking it down the streat on a leash, lol. Twitter ||| Google+ ||| Facebook ||| LinkedIn ||| My very interesting weblog about science Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zilla Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I remember seeing this earlier on Yahoo news. Over they're in that region of the world seems to hold a lot of new species, I hope we are able to preserve the land over there as long as we can, since there could be thousands of unknown species lurking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serpent Eye Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 [hide=Wesley the Farm Boy to the rescue... AGAIN.][/hide] I think this is my favorite part: The rat, which has no fear of humans... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zierro Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 I think this is my favorite part: The rat, which has no fear of humans... After I read that I thought it was gonna be some bloodthirsty vicious maneater. Then I saw them kneel really close to it and I was like, "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww ." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nerdboyxxx Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Sweet, another giant animal! I mean, people walk pigs on a leash, why not a giant rat? could be cool :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latinoking Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 I would cook its meat, but I would more than likely burn it. :( I am Teh_King[My dA][My Last.FM][My Twitter] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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