For Rats That Coat Themselves In Poison, These Rodents Are Surprisingly Cuddly
The African crested rat's fuzzy fur has hairs loaded with a poison that can purportedly fell an elephant. But these rats turn out to be social, affectionate creatures.
A poisonous rat that licks deadly toxins onto its own fur sounds like some kind of made-up nightmare species. But these creatures are real, and scientists now say they are also unexpectedly affectionateâat least with their own kind.
To would-be predators, the African crested rat, Lophiomys imhausi, is trouble. They dwell in forested areas on the eastern side of the continent, and people there have long known to steer clear of these elusive black and white rodents.
"If a dog tried to attack them, the dogs, a researcher with the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Utah who has worked with colleagues in Kenya to trap and study the rats.
