Rats and beavers?
Fairly close relations.
After all?
They are in the same order.
Animals of the rodentia order include: all types of agoutis, beavers, capybaras, chinchillas, chipmunks, coypus, gerbils, gophers, groundhogs, guinea pigs, gundis, hamsters, jerboas, lemmings, maras, marmots, mice, muskrats, pacaranas, pacas, porcupines, prairie dogs, rats, springhares, squirrels, tucotucos, viscachas, and voles.
The fact that they are?
Is not the main thing that bothers me.
Nope.
What DOES succeed in bothering me, however…
That fact that somewhere, in their order line?
A lineage of them ate people…
And LIKED it.
[via Weekly World News] Scientists examining the skulls of Midwest beavers found that they loved to eat flowers – and
humans.
The killer beavers probably lived in the Midwest in the 1800s. […]
Scientists examined teeth from the multituberculates (beavers). Computed tomography (CT) scanning similar to that used in hospitals was used to create high resolution 3D images which were then analysed.
The researchers found the multituberculates had a complex array of teeth. Those at the front were sharp and blade-like, while the back teeth developed numerous bumps and cusps ideal for crushing plant material.
[…]
“If you look at the complexity of teeth, it will tell you information about the diet. Multituberculates seem to be developing more cusps on their back teeth, and the blade like tooth at the front is becoming less important as they develop these bumps to break down plant material.”
Scientists say that the teeth could also “morph” and become blade-like, “sharper than most switchblades”, and so the beavers would eat flowers and kill mammals. ”They seemed to like to attack humans.” [Read More]
Especially now…
That some extremely large varmints have made their way, rapidly multiplying in Florida?
While looking scarily similar to their human-eaters of the past?
[via DailyMail] Several giant Gambian pouch rats have been found recently on Florida’s Grassy Key despite concerted
efforts by conservation officials to eradicate them.
Officials worry that the voracious rats, which grow to nine pounds, might wipe out some crops and upset the delicate ecological balance if they manage to reach the Florida mainland.
South Florida has become a virtual dumping ground for exotic animals from across the globe.
The area is teeming with exotic animals like Burmese pythons, boa constrictors, Nile monitor lizards, vervet monkeys and more–all wreaking havoc on local animal species.
The Gambian rat first appeared on Grassy Key in 1999 after eight rats escaped from a local exotic pets breeder.
‘We thought we had them whipped as of 2009,’ Scott Hardin, exotic-species coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, told keysnet.com.
‘In the early part of 2011, a resident e-mailed me and said he saw one of the rats. We were skeptical but went back and talked to people and [saw] there were rats that we missed,’ he added. [Read More]
Must say?
I am feeling not feeling as secure at my predator standing, sadly as I once was.
Cause the possibility that something would DARE look at humans as a food source?
Is most definitely not a comfort to bovine…
Uh, I mean, MY MIND.
Oh, what!?
