| Gambian pouched rat | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A captive pet | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Nesomyidae |
| Genus: | Cricetomys |
| Species: | C. gambianus |
| Binomial name | |
| Cricetomys gambianus Waterhouse, 1840 | |
TheGambian pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus), alsocommonly known as theAfrican giant pouched rat, is aspecies ofnocturnalpouched rat of thegiant pouched ratgenusCricetomys, in thefamilyNesomyidae. It is among the largestmuroids in the world, growing to about 0.9 m (3 ft) long, including the tail, which makes up half of its total length.[2] It is widespread insub-Saharan Africa, ranging fromSenegal toKenya and fromAngola toMozambique (although it is absent from much of theDemocratic Republic of the Congo, whereEmin's pouched rat is present) fromsea level to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).[1]
The Gambian pouched rat is sometimes kept as a pet, but some have escaped from captivity and become aninvasive species inFlorida.[3] In the United States, theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and theFood and Drug Administration (FDA) now ban the importation of this species because it is blamed for the2003 outbreak of monkeypox.
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The Gambian pouched rat has very pooreyesight, so it depends on its senses ofsmell andhearing.[4] Its name comes from the large,hamster-like pouches in its cheeks. It is not a truerat, but is part of an African branch ofmuroid rodents. It typically weighs between 1.0 and 1.4 kg (2.2 and 3.1 lb).[2] In its native Africa, the pouched rat lives in colonies of up to 20, usually in forests and thickets, but also commonly intermite mounds. It isomnivorous, feeding onvegetables,insects,crabs,snails, and other items, but apparently preferspalm fruits and palm kernels.[5]
Its cheek pouches allow it to gather up several kilograms of nuts per night for storage underground. It has been known to stuff its pouches so full ofdate palm nuts so as to be hardly able to squeeze through the entrance of its burrow.[citation needed] The burrow consists of a long passage with side alleys and several chambers, one for sleeping and the others for storage. The Gambian pouched rat reachessexual maturity at 5–7 months of age. It has up to four litters every nine months, with up to six offspring in each litter. Males are territorial and tend to be aggressive when they encounter one another.
ATanzanian social enterprise founded by two Belgians,APOPO ("Anti-Personnel Landmines Removal Product Development" in English), trains the closely relatedsouthern giant pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei)[6] to detectland mines andtuberculosis with their highly developed sense of smell. The trained pouched rats are calledHeroRATS. The rats are far cheaper to train than mine-detecting dogs; a rat requires US$7,300 for nine months of training, whereas a dog costs about $25,000 for training, but lives about twice as long.[7][8]
In 2020, a Hero Rat namedMagawa (2013–2022)[9] received aPeople's Dispensary for Sick AnimalsGold Medal, the animal equivalent of theGeorge Cross, becoming the first rat to receive the award since the charity began honouring animals in 2003. Before retiring in 2021, Magawa detected 71 landmines and 38 items of unexploded ordnance, clearing over 2,421,880 sq ft (225,000 m2) of land inCambodia, preventing many injuries and deaths, in his 5-year career.[10][11][12][13] Magawa died from natural causes at the age of 8 in 2022.[9] A new record of over 100 landmine detections was set in 2025 by a rat named Ronin.[14]
The Gambian pouched rat has been used in experiments atCornell University to investigate its usefulness in the detection oftuberculosis in humansputum samples.[15] Reports[16] that they are also being used in Mozambique and Tanzania to check tuberculosis test results have proven mildly incorrect:Genetic testing by Watkins showsAPOPO's workers areC. ansorgei.[6]
Gambian pouched rats have become aninvasive species onGrassy Key in theFlorida Keys,[17] after a private breeder allowed the animals to escape in the 1990s.[18][19] Starting in 2007, Florida wildlife officials have tried to eradicate it from Grassy Key, but it was still present as of 2014[update], and has been sighted nearby onKey Largo and inMarathon, Florida.[18]
This outsized African rodent is also believed to be responsible for the2003 Midwest monkeypox outbreak in the United States, after spreading it toprairie dogs that were purchased as pets. In 2003, the CDC and FDA issued an order preventing the importation of the rodents following the first reported outbreak ofmpox. Around 20 individuals were affected.[20]
