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Extinct Giant Cloud Rat Fossils discovered in the Philippines
Photo credits Reddit
The Philippines has been known to be home to a variety of species and a newly probed fossil is proof of that. Scientists have discovered three new species of giant cloud rats and it is known to be enormous! The size of a giant cloud rat is comparable to a grey squirrel and it's even twice as big as they are.
The discovery is known to have already roved the earth thousands of years ago. Here are the fascinating facts about this newly unearthed species:
Where were the fossils found?
The specimens of the three species of fossil rodent were found from Callao Cave in Cagayan Province— the same cave where an unknown human species was also discovered. The species, Homo luzonensis was believed to have inhibited in that cave. It can be concluded that they have existed together from 60,000 years ago.
Callao Cave, Cagayan Province Photo credits Donie Cruz
What do they look like?
The researchers have figured out the appearance of these giant rats. They were believed to be fluffy and they had big, bushy tails. The conclusion as to how they look was based on the analysis of their bones and teeth. They look quite squishy, right?
A photo of their gigantic teeth. Photo credits Lauren Nassef/Field Museum
Where do they usually inhabit?
The habitat of these rats are plainly the treetops of hazy mountain forests and according to a research, their existence have also fulfilled an ecological role that of a squirrel.
According to Armand Mijares, a professor in the archaeological studies program at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, “While we can’t say for certain based on our current information, this implies that humans likely played some role in their extinction.”
It can be understood that humans have been a great contributor to their extinction.
