Gambian pouched rat

TheGambian pouched rat(Cricetomys gambianus), alsocommonlyknown as theAfrican giant pouched rat, is aspeciesofnocturnalpouched ratof thegiant pouched ratgenusCricetomys, in thefamilyNesomyidae. It is among the largestmuroidsin the world, growing to about 0.9 m (3 ft) long, including the tail, which makes up half of its total length.It is widespread insub-Saharan Africa, ranging fromSenegaltoKenyaand fromAngolatoMozambique(although it is absent from much of theDemocratic Republic of the Congo, whereEmin's pouched ratis present) fromsea levelto 2,000 m (6,600 ft).
The Gambian pouched rat is sometimes kept as a pet, but some have escaped from captivity and become aninvasive speciesinFlorida.In the United States, theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) and theFood and Drug Administration(FDA) now ban the importation of this species because it is blamed for the2003 outbreak of monkeypox.
The Gambian pouched rat has very pooreyesight, so it depends on its senses ofsmellandhearing.Its name comes from the large,hamster-like pouches in its cheeks. It is not a truerat, but is part of an African branch ofmuroid rodents. It typically weighs between 1.0 and 1.4 kg (2.2 and 3.1 lb).In its native Africa, the pouched rat lives in colonies of up to 20, usually in forests and thickets, but also commonly intermitemounds. It isomnivorous, feeding onvegetables,insects,crabs,snails, and other items, but apparently preferspalm fruitsand palm kernels.
Its cheek pouches allow it to gather up several kilograms of nuts per night for storage underground. It has been known to stuff its pouches so full ofdate palmnuts so as to be hardly able to squeeze through the entrance of its burrow.The burrow consists of a long passage with side alleys and several chambers, one for sleeping and the others for storage. The Gambian pouched rat reachessexual maturityat 5–7 months of age. It has up to four litters every nine months, with up to six offspring in each litter. Males are territorial and tend to be aggressive when they encounter one another.
ATanzaniansocial enterprise founded by two Belgians,APOPO("Anti-Personnel Landmines Removal Product Development" in English), trains the closely relatedsouthern giant pouched rats(Cricetomys ansorgei)to detectland minesandtuberculosiswith their highly developed sense of smell. The trained pouched rats are calledHeroRATS. The rats are far cheaper to train than mine-detecting dogs; a rat requires US$7,300 for nine months of training, whereas a dog costs about $25,000 for training, but lives about twice as long.
In 2020, a Hero Rat namedMagawa(2013–2022)received aPeople's Dispensary for Sick AnimalsGold Medal, the animal equivalent of theGeorge Cross, becoming the first rat to receive the award since the charity began honouring animals in 2003. Before retiring in 2021, Magawa detected 71 landmines and 38 items of unexploded ordnance, clearing over 2,421,880 sq ft (225,000 m) of land inCambodia, preventing many injuries and deaths, in his 5-year career.Magawa died from natural causes at the age of 8 in 2022.
The Gambian pouched rat has been used in experiments atCornell Universityto investigate its usefulness in the detection oftuberculosisin humansputumsamples.Reportsthat they are also being used in Mozambique and Tanzania to check tuberculosis test results have proven mildly incorrect:Genetic testingby Watkins showsAPOPO's workers areC. ansorgei.
Gambian pouched rats have become aninvasive speciesonGrassy Keyin theFlorida Keys,after a private breeder allowed the animals to escape in the 1990s.Starting in 2007, Florida wildlife officials have tried to eradicate it from Grassy Key, but it was still present as of 2014, and has been sighted nearby onKey Largoand inMarathon, Florida.
This outsized African rodent is also believed to be responsible for the2003 Midwest monkeypox outbreakin the United States, after spreading it toprairie dogsthat were purchased as pets. In 2003, the CDC and FDA issued an order preventing the importation of the rodents following the first reported outbreak ofmpox. Around 20 individuals were affected.