African crested rat takes it easy

The African crested rat - also known as the maned rat - is normally a rather unassuming and sluggish creature. However, when threatened the rat pulls it head back into it shoulders and raises a mane of long black and white hairs. Scientists had thought that the animal might be attempting to mimic a porcupine or the skunk-like zorilla to ward off lions, jackals or anything else that wanted to make a meal of it. Nonetheless, the belief that the rat is poisonous is commonplace in Kenya and there is anecdotal evidence that dogs that have tried to take a bite out of one have collapsed and even died. And this led Fritz Vollrath, from the University of Oxford, and colleagues to investigate just what was going on.

By examining the animals' behaviour and physiology they discovered that it has evolved a number of interesting traits to protect itself. In the wild the rat seeks out and chews on the roots and bark of the Acokanthera tree, which is packed with ouabain, a potent cardiac glycoside. It then slathers its saliva on the mane, despositing the poison. Scanning electron micrographs of the hairs on the animal's mane reveal that they are well adapted to storing the poison, as they are perforated with numerous holes, making them extremely absorbant. Coupled with the poison-storing hairs the rat has a thick hide and an armoured skull. This means that any animal foolish enough to attack it will get a dose of ouabain, while the rat emerges relatively unscathed.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• rat
• chemistry
• world
• ouabain
• poison
• acquired
• toxicity
• hair

[Theranthrope]

Mishter rat can chake id eajy!

I wonder if that poison mohawk would be Medicine for Melancholy?

[Ryuuken24]

It's pretty rare to see one of these on youtube, thank you. It does look like a raccoon.

[Geordiguy]

Hi there, I thought I knew all about African Wildlife but have never heard of this one. Almost a cross between a Raccoon and a Skunk. Thanks for posting the video..

[ushiwakamaru30]

You guys should thank Yahoo News for once again forgetting to post pictures in their articles: they posted an article on the African crested rat and never bothered to show us what it looked like, so everyone either flocked to Youtube or Google images. Thanks for this.

[VoodooUprising]

thats a midget racoon

[rodentcafeteria]

@KWP880609 Only if you lived in Africa. Over there they're called "pets."

[KWP880609]

@rodentcafeteria same here man lol. Did anyone even know these animals existed before August 2nd 2011? lol

[rodentcafeteria]

@skevo9 Yeah, I just wanted to see what one looked like. Big fuckers, aren't they? Wouldn't have to worry about me getting anywhere near them, that's for sure!

[skevo9]

@rodentcafeteria Thats why I'm on here too, ha



[rodentcafeteria]

I read these rats have figured out a way to cover themselves in poison that comes from plants found in Africa, which incapacitates and sometimes kills any predators that try to attack it. Damn, rats are smart!!