Florida has free food!
 

9 pounds one could feed a family of five enjoy :thumbsup :1orglaugh :helpme :error :disgust :Oh crap :upsidedow

When it comes to giant rat infestations, New York gets all the attention.

http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/03/26/...jpg_223315.jpg
hotlinked yahoo


But a breed of giant, Gambian rats have been rapidly reproducing in the Florida Keys despite a decade-long effort to wipe them out. KeysNet reports the invasive, African native species first began showing up between 1999-2001 after a local exotic animal breeder released eight of the rats into the wild.

"We thought we had them whipped as of 2009," said Scott Hardin, exotic species coordinator for Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "We think they have not moved far but they clearly reproduced," he said.

The rodents, officially known as the Gambian pouched rat, are the largest known breed of rats in the world. They can grow up to three feet in length and weigh as much as nine pounds. Wildlife officials fear that if the large-sized rodents make it to the Florida mainland, they could devastate local crops if they reach the Florida mainland.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been working with Florida officials to wipe out the rodents, and there are only an estimate few dozen at large, but they can reproduce quickly and do so only five months after being born. After producing a litter, the Gambian rat only has to wait another nine months before having another litter, bearing up to six babies at a time.
Officials thought they had successfully gotten rid of all of the Gambian rats back in 2008, but several of the burrowing creatures recently began showing up in the yards of local residents. "We were skeptical but went back and talked to people and [saw] there were rats that we missed," Hardin told KeysNet.

Using cantaloupe and peanut butter as bait, officials say are planning another to distribute another 200 traps in an effort to clear the keys of the Gambian rats, some of which are larger than the average house cat.

"We're going to try to trap at least that often until we see signs that we have knocked them back," Hardin said.
full article...

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uuOo8x3WXW..._delicious.jpg

ok i made one :thumbsup :1orglaugh no i didnt

Damn, little fucker sure had a set of nuts!

all natural coffee creamer :Oh crap hazel nutt

No wonder there is a Burmese python population explosion.Lots to eat
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...vespecies.html

HURRAH for roasted rats! mmmm tasty...

People eat all kind of animals, why not rats?

Probably just from them living in sewers.

:1orglaugh

Because vermin carry diseases. :Oh crap

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermin

and this.... disgusting.... disease spread from the fleas on rats. grosssssss

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death

this rat just made my day shit in terms of food eating

deep fry it :1orglaugh

True, but most seafood that people eat also feed on some nasty stuff :2 cents:

Holly crap..

The Black Plague gave rats a bad reputation.

I have family in Gonzales LA. They cook Nutria (smaller rat) all the time. It's actually not too bad. Its great to bring people down for visits though and have the family serve it to them and when they say how good it is and ask whats in the stew you tell them "Swamp Rat".

We feed these to the tourists that come down here. Been doing it for years so this is not news. This includes snakes and whatever is found on the side of the road. Just so you know if you ever visit, don't eat anything called "Alligator".

"They can grow up to three feet in length"

does that include the tail?

And pigs root in their own shit.

#justsaying

Sincerely,
bacon lover