What are the main species of bamboo rats? A detailed introduction to common varieties

The bamboo rat, as the name suggests, is an animal that likes to feed on bamboo. People also habitually call them winter thatch rat, mangdong rat, mangli, pig rat, bamboo li, and so on. Because they have relatively high medicinal value and economic value, many farmers have already taken up the activity of artificially raising bamboo rats. So do you know the main species of bamboo rats and the characteristics of the different species of bamboo rats? Let us walk into the world of bamboo rats together and find out!

1. Chinese bamboo rat

The Chinese bamboo rat, also known as the "common bamboo rat," is the most widely distributed of the bamboo rat species in China. In China, they are mainly distributed in central and southern provinces such as Guangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan and Fujian. Specifically, an adult Chinese bamboo rat has a body length of 25-35 cm and a body weight of 1-1.7 kg. They are relatively stocky in build, mostly cylindrical in shape, and female Chinese bamboo rats have one pair of mammary glands on the chest and three pairs on the abdomen.

2. Silver-star bamboo rat

The origin of the name "silver-star bamboo rat" is closely related to its fur. Its back is brownish-gray, and the back fur has many white-tipped guard hairs, all of which also have a sheen. Not only that, their fur is also relatively coarse, so people also call them "coarse-haired bamboo rat." In China, they are mainly distributed in the southeastern region, such as Guangdong and Fujian provinces. The food of the silver-star bamboo rat mainly includes reed grass roots, cogongrass roots, bamboo roots, bamboo nodes, bamboo leaves, and so on.

3. Large bamboo rat

This species of bamboo rat is relatively large and rather plump, and is the largest in body size among the bamboo rat species. An adult is about 40 cm long and weighs 2-4 kg. In China, they are mainly distributed in the Xishuangbanna region of Yunnan. They often feed on bamboo roots and bamboo shoots, but they also eat some other plants. And because their fur is sparse and coarse, and their cheeks are light rusty brown or brownish-red, they have thus acquired the alternative name "red-cheeked bamboo rat."

4. Lesser bamboo rat

The lesser bamboo rat is the smallest in individual size among the bamboo rat species. Not only that, they are also fewer in number and belong to a rare species, mainly distributed in western Yunnan in China as well as northern Bangladesh, Thailand, and other places. Although their body shape is similar to that of the Chinese bamboo rat, their body weight is only 0.2-0.3 kg.

5. Dark-brown bamboo rat

The dark-brown bamboo rat is mainly distributed in areas such as western Yunnan and northeastern Guizhou in China. Its morphology is also quite similar to that of the Chinese bamboo rat, and the fur covering its whole body is dark black. Its body weight is about 1.5 kg.