Creature Feature: Giant Cloud Rat.

If reading about insular gigantism scared you, worry not. Not every giant animal on an island  is going to eat you. Here, let us show you:

From biolib.cz. Cutest pic I could find.

OK, bad example. I know some people are terrified of rats. Still, the giant cloud rat - and cloud rats in general- are at least as fascinating as Darwin's finches. They're all native to the Philippines, just like giant crocodiles. The main difference is that, unlike crocs, giant cloud rats would make great plushies.

All cloud rats are leaf-eating, nocturnal rodents that spend most of their time in trees.  There are a total of six species of cloud rats that are in turn divided into two genera. The "giant" ones in question are the North and South Luzon cloud rats, both of the genus Phloeomys. Again, aren't they cute? No? Fine, rat-haters.

Also very cute!

The giant cloud rat is the largest type of cloud rat in the Philippine forests. It is also the largest species of rat in the entire world. We're talking a 7-pound rat with teeth an inch long. That's a rat that would give a cat a run for its money. Being so big also makes it good meat, of course, and Filipinos have indeed been known to eat them. (Rodents are whole food. Really.)

Despite being unique species, not much study has been done on cloud rats. The only reason I even know about them is because one scientist at the Field Museum is studying these weird insular rats. Only three zoos have any kind of cloud rat in their collections, so even that's not a good bet if you want to gawk at a live giant rat.

Want a giant cloud rat as a plush- I mean pet? They're rare, but in the exotic pet trade nonetheless. A few of them are reliable breeders, so you should be seeing more captive-bred specimens soon.  They are marketed as the replacement for the Gambian Pouched Rat, which, while also large, is less cuddly.  Cuteness and legislation are together on this one, plus the giant cloud rat actually needs to be researched. 

"They Actually Eat That:" Parrot Fish.

This parrot fish is no more. It has ceased to be. It has expired and gone to be someone's dinner. It's a stiff, bereft of life. THIS is an ex-parrot fish!

Yes, they actually eat parrot fish. China and Korea will eat almost anything; small surprise to find parrot fish in a few other countries in East Asia, e.g. the Philippines and Malaysia. It has spread to markets in the United States, including some places in San Diego and Chicago. That people eat parrot fish is hardly surprising, but still enough to make people who appreciate how colorful and awesome parrot fish are a little bit teary.

One can probably guess that parrot fish is particularly popular on islands. According to National Geographic, parrot fish is considered a delicacy in Polynesia. Filipino food may also use parrot fish. Hawaii just loves them, and they can catch them locally, too!



Certain Chinese (and likely Korean) restaurants may also cook parrot fish for you. It is likely an obscure item along the lines of zombie jellyfish, however, so not many places will have it. Still, if you seek this colorful fish, try Asian markets. It probably helps if you know someone who already speaks Chinese or Korean.

As for what it tastes like? Parrot fish has been described as white, delicate, and very chewy. Until I actually find some parrot fish for myself, I will not be able to confirm or deny whether or not it constitutes a delicacy.  I may be taking a trip to a Korean grocery store, soon, but if you have personally ever eaten parrot fish, let us know!

Creature Feature: Philippine Tarsier.

Soo tired from all the moving going on. I need something to keep me awake. (Read: The entries for Sunday and Monday will VERY LIKELY be delayed due to my not having my own 'net access for a bit.)



...O.K., maybe not THAT awake.Whatever that is, I'll be seeing it in my nightmares. Then, because it IS a nightmare, I will wake up and only bring it up around dream interpreters.

The cute-ugly critter above is called a Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta). Tarsiers are primates like monkeys, apes, and humans (yes, you're in this group, too), but have had all of the charm squeezed out of them - painfully, if that image is any indication. As the name implies, this strange primate is native to the Philippine islands. It eats any small living thing it can, from bugs to small birds. An adult tarsier can fit comfortably in a human hand. It would be cute if not for...

It was all fun and games until we got that one wet...

 

It is darn near impossible to find a photograph of one of these guys without thinking that the primate is in a very bad mood. If you manage to catch one with its huge eyes open, it looks almost as bad as the aye-aye, but there are no pop stars ugly enough to compare it to. If its eyes are closed, it looks like a very grumpy rat with thumbs. There is no way to win, here.

Its immobile eyes contribute to the strange blend of cute and ugly. Unlike other primates, the Philippine tarsier's gigantic eyes are locked in its skull. Those eyes are also the biggest, proportionately, of any mammal. To compensate, the tarsier has a modified neck that allows it to turn its head 180 degrees. Anime eyes suddenly look sane by comparison. This primate, my friends, is cute gone horribly wrong.

On the bright side, tarsiers represent a valuable evolutionary turning point between rodentlike primates (such as lemurs) and more monkey-like primates. 45 million years ago, tarsiers were on all seven continents.  Now they are restricted to Southeast Asia, much to the disappointment of primatologists. Almost everybody else can rest easy knowing that they will not be stalked by the large-eyed, nocturnal primates that probe the Uncanny Valley of cute.

 

Philippine tarsiers are, depending on whom you ask, either critically endangered or just vulnerable. Habitat loss and the pet trade (tarsiers do HORRIBLY in captivity) are the main reasons cited for the tarsier's decline. The people of the Philippines seem to love the little thing, touting it as an ancient, tiny monkey. Wait a minute - where have I heard something like that before?

KILL IT WITH FIRE!