Florecne Dayz: The World's Biggest Rats
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Florecne Dayz: The World's Biggest Rats
Whenever i am in Florence i take a walk along the banks of the Arno and from the vantage on the river not far from the American Consulate - north from the town center i always see down below in the mud what are the biggest rats i've ever seen
The rats munch on the parade of food debris floating down the river - they swim around and fight ducks and sea gulls for the scraps.
The rats have been here for years and years now.
The rats munch on the parade of food debris floating down the river - they swim around and fight ducks and sea gulls for the scraps.
The rats have been here for years and years now.
#4
Are you sure they weren't nutrias?
The nutria is like a cross between a rat (it is a rodent) and a beaver. Wiki has some pictures:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coypu
The nutria is like a cross between a rat (it is a rodent) and a beaver. Wiki has some pictures:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coypu
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well by the pictures they could be nutrias and by the size i guess - i never heard of those critters so called it a rat
Still it looked a tad more like a rat in being thin haired vs the pictures on Wiki
but no i did not know but will take a picture this Jan when i go to Florence again.
Still it looked a tad more like a rat in being thin haired vs the pictures on Wiki
but no i did not know but will take a picture this Jan when i go to Florence again.
#8
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I enjoyed watching those animals on my last visit to Florence, since they were familiar friends. My childhood home in a suburban neighborhood on Long Island had a backyard pond had a family of muskrats. The ones in florence seemed virtually identical.
#13
They were introduced to Italy (and other places) as a fur source, but, as one poster mentioned, they are pretty destructive and have been considered a pest for many years.
Compared to the nutria, the Norway/wharf rat has a longer/pointy face and bigger ears.
Compared to the nutria, the Norway/wharf rat has a longer/pointy face and bigger ears.
#14
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 1,089
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi PalenQ,
I'm actually in Florence as I write this and I actually saw that thing you're talking about yesterday. I stood there for about 15 mins trying to determine what the heck it was. I finally decided that it had to be a rat based on the tail. But, boy, what a huge rat. I've never seen one that big before and it was swiming away, if it was indeed a rat. Yes, I've seen the ones in DC, they don't have a thing on this one.
jdc
I'm actually in Florence as I write this and I actually saw that thing you're talking about yesterday. I stood there for about 15 mins trying to determine what the heck it was. I finally decided that it had to be a rat based on the tail. But, boy, what a huge rat. I've never seen one that big before and it was swiming away, if it was indeed a rat. Yes, I've seen the ones in DC, they don't have a thing on this one.
jdc
#15
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here's a link to the ones I knew.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muskrat
They were pretty timid, venturing just a few feet from the water to get some grass. One grew particularly bold and would raid Mom's garden for dahlia plants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muskrat
They were pretty timid, venturing just a few feet from the water to get some grass. One grew particularly bold and would raid Mom's garden for dahlia plants.