Bioparc Valencia hand-raises a Gambian rat, the largest in the world, which prevents thousands of deaths and mutilations of people

August 4, 2014

Bioparc Valencia hand-raises a Gambian rat, the largest in the world, which prevents thousands of deaths and mutilations of people

This species of rodent provides important help to African populations devastated by war conflicts. Thanks to a highly developed sense of smell, they are able to detect antipersonnel mines.

This species of rodent provides important help to African populations devastated by war conflicts. Thanks to a highly developed sense of smell, they are able to detect antipersonnel mines.

Monday, August 4, 2014. Ago 8 weeks one was born gambian rat (Cricetomys gambianus) in the underground Savannah of Bioparc Valencia. She was rejected by her mother, so the park's technical team decided to hand-raise her from then on. At birth she weighed 119 grams and currently 171. It is fed with 4 daily feedings of milk for human babies, supplied with special “mini-bottles” and a solid intake of fruits and vegetables.

His evolution is positive and these days he is beginning to recognize the outside areas of the park., in the recreation of the “oricteropo burrow”. The subsoil of the African savannah is a unique ecological niche and reveals underground life to us. Thus, in Bioparc Valencia it has been possible for visitors to enter this unknown world through the burrows built by oricteropos or anteaters that serve as a lair for other animals such as warthogs, hyenas or Gambian rats.

This species is the largest known rat. Like other rodents, they accumulate a large amount of seeds, fruits and leaves in their cheeks, which stretch considerably. This food is transported to the burrow where they store it to deal with times of scarcity.

The Gambian giant rat provides important work to African populations that have suffered or are suffering from war conflicts. Thanks to a highly developed sense of smell and because they are easily domesticated animals, they are of great help because they are capable of detect antipersonnel mines. Given their low weight, they can walk over the surfaces where the mines have been buried without them exploding.

It is an animal with a very widespread geographical distribution. It is found in central Africa, from the west to the east coast, and in the south, from the northeastern tip of South Africa to southern Angola.

This summer, Visitors to Bioparc Valencia can observe this unknown species up close but with an important role in the African continent.. In fact Bioparc Valencia is the the only zoological institution in Spain that houses this species. One more reason to immerse yourself in the careful recreation of the landscapes, fauna and flora of Africa.