Lesser bamboo rat Cannomys badius
Animals in our sanctuary
Bibi
Bibi was seized along with a host of other animals during a transport check. The animals were on their way from Germany to England without any valid documents. They were probably meant to be sold as illegal pets.
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Behaviour:
The lesser bamboo rat is a real burrow digger. Most of its life is therefore underground. Their appearance also shows this perfectly. Like a mole, they are stocky in stature with small, sturdy legs. They are generally cylindrical with small eyes, ears and tail. They do mainly use their large front teeth to dig.
Their burrows can be up to 58 metres long. They seal the entrance so that predators cannot find them so easily.
Reproduction in the wild:
A lesser bamboo rat is mature after 1 year. Their litter usually consists of 2 to 5 babies.
Facts:
They are hunted locally as a food source.
Threats:
The lesser bamboo rat is not considered endangered by the IUCN. They are found in a large habitat and are so abundant in some places that they are even considered a pest species (mainly at plantations of rubber, sugar cane and cassava).