Rare Giant Rat Caught on Camera for the First Time, Baby-Sized Rodent Weighs Up to Two Pounds and Chews Through Coconut

In 2017, a team of scientists discovered a new species of gigantic rat which can reportedly crack open coconuts. This extremely rare rodent has been captured in the wild on camera for the very first time.

Discovery of the Giant Rat

Local residents of the Solomon Islands have long told stories of large rats which scurry around in the trees. It was even claimed that they could chew into coconut using their teeth. Whether such an animal existed or locals only misidentified a known rat species remained a mystery.

That was until 2017 when a group of scientists discovered a single living specimen during one of their explorations. Mammalogist Tyrone Lavery discovered the Field Museum in Chicago. During a trip to the Solomon Islands in 2010, Lavery and his fellow scientists John Vendi and Hikuna Judge heard stories of the gigantic tree-dwelling rodents the locals called vika. That choice of habitat, unfortunately, made the creatures particularly difficult to track down.

After an intensive search, the team's persistence paid off. They found a specimen in a fallen tree, which the DNA analysis confirmed to be from a brand new rodent species. Also known as the Vangunu giant rat (Uromys vika), these animals can weigh up to 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) and measure up to 1.5 feet (45.7 centimeters) long. This makes the rare species three to four times bigger than a brown or black rat.

Only eight known species of the native rat were identified from the Solomon Islands. Looking at the features on Vika's skull, Lavery immediately ruled out a bunch of species. He also recognizes the importance of collaborations with local people to conduct such projects.

First Images in the Wild

Vangunu giant rat was presented to the world through illustrations, but now, experts have finally snapped its first-ever photos. With the help of local people's knowledge of the animals, camera traps were set up around the island. The rats appeared in 95 images, which the research team determined to represent four individuals.

Unfortunately, these could be some of the only images that will ever be taken of the Vangunu giant rat. Although the animal was only discovered a few years ago, they are rare enough to include them on the critically endangered list.

According to Lavery, the natural homes of the rats around Zaira village are under threat. The Vangunu rat lives in the primary forests in Zaira, representing the species' last remaining habitat. Logging consent has been granted at this site, and if it proceeds, it could lead to the extinction of one of the world's rarest rodent species.

Lavery believes that if they had not discovered Vika now, it might never have been discovered. It has become urgent for the team to be able to document this rat and find additional support for the Zaira Conservation Area on Vangunu. The research team also hopes that the new images of the species could help raise awareness for its conservation efforts.