World’s largest rodent found in Paso Robles wastewater

August 17, 2011

A species of the world’s largest rodent, a capybara, was discovered July 22 by Nick Camp at the Paso Robles Wastewater Treatment Plant. [Huffington Post]

Kamp took photographs of the animal, which can grow up to weigh 145 pounds and measure four feet in length, and described what he saw: “It had the body of a pig, but it had a longer nose and head to it.”

He said that the animal seemed calm, and swam with its head above and below the water.

Todd Tognazzini, a lieutenant with the Department of Fish and Game, believes the capybara is an escaped pet, although the animal cannot legally be kept without a special permit, reported UK’s The Telegraph.

Native to South America, capybaras are the largest rodents in the world, and can grow to be as large as a big dog.

 


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This is too funny. Thanks CCN for the interesting news. This is a refreshing contrast from all the two-legged rats in the news.


So how dangerous is a capybara? Safe to chase with a camera? What would they do with it if it were captured? It’s probably happier cruising the Paso riverbeds. Since there’s only one, it isn’t much of an environmental threat.


Coincidently, if you unscramble the word “capybara”, you get ” Pay Barac” … hmmm….


Here’s the original image (above):


http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosettastones/184525337/


(it’s a beaver)


A large rodent … up to his neck in sewage …




Are you sure this isn’t …



Atascadero?


How funny that Paso Robles, SLO County’s emerging ghetto apparent – is getting world-wide press for it’s giant rat that swims in sewage!!!


The photo at the top of this page is a beaver. The photo taken at the Paso sewer plant is a Capybara. And yes, it is getting wide publicity, KTLA news has a story on it already:

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-paso-robles-capybara,0,5270834.story


I’ve seen larger rodents at government board/council meetings.


I didn’t know that WADE McKINNEY hung out in PASO.


Not a beaver! Capybara’s don’t have tails. Look at the beaver tail. Here’s a Capybara: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capybara


I mean, it IS a beaver…