Massive invasive rat now living on the canal.

Murt10

Like something out of your worst nightmare!


https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/invasive-rodent-spotted-along-dublin-s-royal-canal-1.3834367

Phileas Frog

Murt10 wrote: »

Like something out of your worst nightmare!


https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/invasive-rodent-spotted-along-dublin-s-royal-canal-1.383

That's an article from 2012 which has nothing to do with rats?

thomasj

What do you mean it was updated 7 hours ago?

Although you're right it's not a rat

Phileas Frog

A 20 person poll which seems to mostly be about abortion is what I get. No rats...

Birdie Num Num

I know a friend who has spotted otters in the Royal Canal recently. Definitely otters. Not disputing this as I know they have been in the river Lee but any details on who reported the sightings.

odyssey06

There are otters along the Tolka, saw one recently, so I guess one could have made it to Royal Canal around Drumcondra, Glasnevin?

Avatar MIA

This was mentioned on radio one's morning show about 20 minutes ago.

But, it's Cork, not Dublin.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/offbeat/concern-over-spread-of-rat-like-coypu-after-cork-sightings-1.3083798

Murt10

From the IT article

“Its appearance is similar to a very large rat; it could even be mistaken for a bulky otter at first sight,” Waterways Ireland said, but unlike an otter it does not have a fur tail but a “long rat-like tail”.

theteal

Those teeth could do with a brush :eek:

Birdie Num Num

Misleading and sensational title to the thread too. It's not a Rat. It's probably an otter and possibly a Coypu.

dhaughton99

Wearing a NorthFace and riding a scrambler?

dhaughton99

Birdie Num Num wrote: »

Misleading and sensational title to the thread too. It's not a Rat. It's probably an otter and possibly a Coypu.

Did you read the article?

Birdie Num Num

odyssey06 wrote: »

There are otters along the Tolka, saw one recently, so I guess one could have made it to Royal Canal around Drumcondra, Glasnevin?

Otters have been seen swimming in the canal in Phibsborough recently.

highdef

dhaughton99 wrote: »

Did you read the article?

Yes, and it clearly states that the animal in question is NOT a rat. Stupid misleading title.

Birdie Num Num

dhaughton99 wrote: »

Did you read the article?

Yes and heard the news report on the radio.

Correct article here btw: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/invasive-rodent-spotted-along-dublin-s-royal-canal-1.3834367

blueberrypie

I heard it on Newstalk this morning. A rodent like creature with
"orange teeth" and up to 1 metre in length.
They definitely said Dublin and canals.

Avatar MIA

blueberrypie wrote: »

I heard it on Newstalk this morning. A rodent like creature with
"orange teeth" and up to 1 metre in length.
They definitely said Dublin and canals.

My Bad, looks like I missed the Dublin element.

highdef

It doesn't even look that much like a rat. More like an beaver. The orange teeth is another giveaway that it's not a rat.

Title should read more like "Beaver like animal spotted in the Royal Canal, Dublin".

Tabnabs

highdef wrote: »

It doesn't even look that much like a rat. More like an beaver. The orange teeth is another giveaway that it's not a rat.

Title should read more like "Beaver like animal spotted in the Royal Canal, Dublin".

The coypu, also known as the nutria, is a large, herbivorous, semiaquatic rodent.

It's a bloody big vegan rat, basically...

Beavers are also rodents BTW.

Budawanny

edited.

super_furry

Offer pest control companies a €100 bounty for each dead one. Won't be too long about getting rid of them.

Avatar MIA

super_furry wrote: »

Offer pest control companies a €100 bounty for each dead one. Won't be too long about getting rid of them.

Capture male
Capture female
Profit

dunnerc

Jasus Id fear for any jack Russell taking on one of them giant rodents.

highdef

Tabnabs wrote: »

The coypu, also known as the nutria, is a large, herbivorous, semiaquatic rodent.

It's a bloody big vegan rat, basically...

Beavers are also rodents BTW.

A coypu is a rodent. A coypu is neither a beaver nor a rat.

A beaver is a rodent. A beaver is neither a coypu nor a rat.

A rat is rodent. A rat is neither a coypu nor a beaver.

All of the above are rodents but they are all different species. To say that a coypu is basically a rat is just plain inaccurate and causes confusion.

spurious

A metre long?!! :eek:
Have they very long tails maybe?

The Enbalmer

Birdie Num Num wrote:

Misleading and sensational title to the thread too. It's not a Rat. It's probably an otter and possibly a Coypu.

It's not an otter.

The people in rathbourne park have been telling each other there's otters when they're not.

The Enbalmer

highdef wrote:

All of the above are rodents but they are all different species. To say that a coypu is basically a rat is just plain inaccurate and causes confusion.

Regardless. You'd still jump if you found one in the shed!

dunnerc

highdef wrote: »

A coypu is a rodent. A coypu is neither a beaver nor a rat.

A beaver is a rodent. A beaver is neither a coypu nor a rat.

A rat is rodent. A rat is neither a coypu nor a beaver.

All of the above are rodents but they are all different species. To say that a coypu is basically a rat is just plain inaccurate and causes confusion.

I hear what your saying , but when I hear rodent I think of a rat
Just like when I hear canine I think of a dog
Incorrect I know

Birdie Num Num

The Enbalmer wrote: »

It's not an otter.

The people in rathbourne park have been telling each other there's otters when they're not.

But there are otters and there have been quite a few sightings of otters recently. Definitely otters. I am not saying that it wasn't a Coypu. I'm saying it was possibly a Coypu.

odyssey06

Ok, it's official. I'm declaring that we have a case of a Rodent of Unusual Size.

highdef

dunnerc wrote: »

I hear what your saying , but when I hear rodent I think of a rat
Just like when I hear canine I think of a dog
Incorrect I know

Would you not ever think of a mouse if you hear someone mention a rodent? My cat leaves dead rodents at the back door from time to time. Sometimes it's a mouse, sometimes it's a rat.

Danzy

Phileas Frog wrote: »

That's an article from 2012 which has nothing to do with rats?

Think how much he will have grown in 7 years

The high horse brigade

How will they distinguish between these and the local native humans?

Danzy

The high horse brigade wrote: »

How will they distinguish between these and the local native humans?

One has yellow teeth, the other Orange.

There may be more differences to those who study these things.

loyatemu

I've seen these things in France, they look more like otters or beavers than rats.

mrsdewinter

I live near Ashtown and a few months ago I saw what looked like an otter in the canal. Longer nose than a rat. That's how I decided it was an otter, at any rate.

The local Facebook page is up in arms this morning, with claims of 'fake news' at this coypu notice. It's just that nobody in the group has seen a coypu, and we're wondering who made the sighting and how Waterways Ireland decides to make such calls.

thomasj

The Enbalmer wrote: »

It's not an otter.

The people in rathbourne park have been telling each other there's otters when they're not.

https://twitter.com/tonyduffin/status/1074951604749635584?s=09

Taken at phibsboro before Christmas last year

Safe to say there are otters in the royal canal

dhaughton99

mrsdewinter wrote: »

I live near Ashtown and a few months ago I saw what looked like an otter in the canal. Longer nose than a rat. That's how I decided it was an otter, at any rate.

The local Facebook page is up in arms this morning, with claims of 'fake news' at this coypu notice. It's just that nobody in the group has seen a coypu, and we're wondering who made the sighting and how Waterways Ireland decides to make such calls.

I also get the impression that it made it way from Cork to Dublin.

d15ude

Birdie Num Num wrote: »

Misleading and sensational title to the thread too. It's not a Rat. It's probably an otter and possibly a Coypu.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coypu

The coypu (from Spanish coipú, from Mapudungun koypu;[3][4] Myocastor coypus), also known as the nutria,[1][5] is a large, herbivorous,[6] semiaquatic rodent. Classified for a long time as the only member of the family Myocastoridae,[7] Myocastor is actually nested within Echimyidae, the family of the spiny rats.

d15ude

Rat or not, it carries diseases:
"They also carry a number of diseases harmful to humans and domestic animals."

https://www.rte.ie/news/2019/0322/1037897-coypu-royal-canal/

Former Former

dhaughton99 wrote: »

I also get the impression that it made it way from Cork to Dublin.

Probably still goes back down every Friday with a big bag of laundry for his mam.

Avatar MIA

Former Former wrote: »

Probably still goes back down every Friday with a big bag of laundry for his mam.

And if he travels down by rivers he'll still beat many cars travelling the M7/8.

Purple Mountain

Like something out of a Hitchcock film.

Birdie Num Num

Avatar MIA wrote: »

And if he travels down by rivers he'll still beat many cars travelling the M7/8.

Probably take the greenway.

Slattsy

Birdie Num Num wrote: »

I know a friend who has spotted otters in the Royal Canal recently. Definitely otters. Not disputing this as I know they have been in the river Lee but any details on who reported the sightings.

Otters I believe. Definitely.

Avatar MIA

Good at'in in them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxsZtrlytCs&t=622s


Last edited by septictank; Today at 14:31.

Started watching and ended up watching to the end. Interesting. They don't make regular tv programmes like that anymore. Animals being shot, and a dead mother having her stomach slit open and live offspring taken out:eek:

septictank

Avatar MIA wrote: »

Started watching and ended up watching to the end. Interesting. They don't make regular tv programmes like that anymore. Animals being shot, and a dead mother having her stomach slit open and live offspring taken out:eek:

Kinda why I pulled it lol.

Interesting old film alright, spooky music at the start got me hooked.

Purple Mountain

septictank wrote: »

Kinda why I pulled it lol.

Interesting old film alright, spooky music at the start got me hooked.

Your username is very fitting here.

Hector Savage

Why the hell does it have such bright orange teeth ??

PhoenixParker

This was shared on a Facebook group I'm a member of. Identifying details removed.

Force Carrier

Hector Savage wrote: »

Why the hell does it have such bright orange teeth ??

It might be a courtship ritual.