American Swamp Rat Found in Tipperary River

[barryqwalsh]

A THREE FOOT rat was found swimming in a river in Kilnascully by a man out for a walk last week.

The rodent, which has been named Rodney, is a coypu American swamp rat and he’s three times the size of your average Irish rat.

He’s now being cared for at the Kildare Animal Foundation Wildlife Unit where one worker told TheJournal.ie that the semi aquatic rodent is “a good looking rat anyway”.

Three foot rat found swimming in Tipperary river TheJournal.ie

 

[MisterBeale]

They are also good eating and make fine fur.

 

[mamooth]

Given the Coypu/Nutria had to be eradicated from Ireland in the past, you'd think they'd be a bit more concerned, and at least check that it wasn't the only one around.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

A THREE FOOT rat was found swimming in a river in Kilnascully by a man out for a walk last week.

The rodent, which has been named Rodney, is a coypu American swamp rat and he’s three times the size of your average Irish rat.

He’s now being cared for at the Kildare Animal Foundation Wildlife Unit where one worker told TheJournal.ie that the semi aquatic rodent is “a good looking rat anyway”.

Three foot rat found swimming in Tipperary river TheJournal.ie

Looks like a Nutria to me.

 

[mamooth]

Coypu and Nutria are different names for the same critter. From the wiki page:

Coypu - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
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Two names are commonly used in English for Myocastor coypus. The name "nutria" (or local derivatives such as "nutria- or nutra-rat") is generally used in North America, in Asia, and throughout countries of the former Soviet Union; however, in Spanish-speaking countries, the word "nutria" refers to the otter. To avoid this ambiguity, the name "coypu" (derived from the Mapudungun language) is used in Latin America and Europe.[8] In France, the coypu is known as a ragondin. In Dutch, it is known as beverrat (beaver rat). In German, it is known as Wasserratte (water rat). In Italy, instead, the popular name is, as in North America and Asia, "nutria", but it is also called castorino ("little beaver"), by which its fur is known in Italy.

In Brazil the animal is known as ratão-do-banhado, nútria or caxingui (the latter from the Tupi language).
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[HereWeGoAgain]

Coypu and Nutria are different names for the same critter. From the wiki page:

Coypu - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
---
Two names are commonly used in English for Myocastor coypus. The name "nutria" (or local derivatives such as "nutria- or nutra-rat") is generally used in North America, in Asia, and throughout countries of the former Soviet Union; however, in Spanish-speaking countries, the word "nutria" refers to the otter. To avoid this ambiguity, the name "coypu" (derived from the Mapudungun language) is used in Latin America and Europe.[8] In France, the coypu is known as a ragondin. In Dutch, it is known as beverrat (beaver rat). In German, it is known as Wasserratte (water rat). In Italy, instead, the popular name is, as in North America and Asia, "nutria", but it is also called castorino ("little beaver"), by which its fur is known in Italy.

In Brazil the animal is known as ratão-do-banhado, nútria or caxingui (the latter from the Tupi language).
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I'm just trying to figure out why they sounded enthused about it.
Those things are a menace and an invasive species.
They destroy more river and lake banks through erosion than any animal out there.

 

[barryqwalsh]

I thought Donald Trump bought a hotel in County Clare, not Tipperary.