--- In cryptozoology2@y..., Loren Coleman <lcolema1@m...> wrote:
> Dr. Brad_Bergstrom, Department of Biology, Valdosta State
University, has
> granted permission for me to share this note with you. Has you any
> information on this unusual find or similar discoveries? Thank you.
> ____________FWD____________________________________________
>
> A DNR biologist sent me these photos of a large, arboreal rodent
that
> mysteriously showed up in a tree in his colleague's backyard in
Douglas,
> GA (south-central, not near the coast). Along with a description,
which
> is consistent with a rodent with H+B about 1 foot and tail about
1.5 ft.,
> weight ca. 600-700 g., I've come to the tentative conclusion that
this may
> be an Amazon bamboo rat, Dactylomus dactylinus, a member of the
> Echimyidae. But then again, I have no specific experience with this
> family.

Barring the size description (unfortunately, the branches don't offer
much of a size perspective) this looks almost identical to a pet lab
rat I once had. The colors are extremely similar as well. Even with
the size quoted, I don't think that's too much out of the range of an
ordinary rat. But then, I'm no zoologist. Are there specific
noticeable traits from the photo (since the carcass is gone) that
would indicate an Amazon bamboo rat from an ordinary pet rat? Also,
considering the growing popularity of exoctic rodents and reptiles,
if it is an Amazon bamboo rat, I would guess it is an escaped pet.
In fact a search on Google turned up a site run by PETSFORUM that
listed the animal, although it didn't specifically sell them. Just
my two cents...

turk



> http://www.valdosta.edu/~bergstrm/bambrat.html
>
> If you are knowledgable about this species or family, {please
contact me via
> the email below}. A total mystery how this mammal ended up in
small-town
> Georgia; also a mystery why the photographer shot the animal and
then let
> the carcass "escape!" I sure would have appreciated the specimen.
> ______________________________________________________________
> Thank you,
> Loren Coleman
> lcolema1@m...