In the movie The Princess Bride, the hero Wesley is attacked by fearsome Rodents Of Unusual Size (ROUS) in the fire swamp. Turns out, ROUS really exist!
Example of a Princess-Bride-era ROUS
Confirmed ROUS!
A new species of rat, the size of a large cat, was confirmed during a scientific expedition earlier this year to the Foja Mountains of western New Guinea, in a remote region where people have rarely explored. The expedition was reported in National Geographic and yielded other new species of flora and fauna (like a tiny possum).
"The giant rat is about five times the size of a typical city rat," said Kristofer Helgen, a scientist with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington."With no fear of humans, it apparently came into the camp several times during the trip."
Hat tip darkman for bringing ROUS-sighting to my attention.
Environment
Comments
Wouldn't Nutria(Myocaster coypus) qualify as ROUS?
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | December 18, 2007 12:30 PM
Missed a close parenthesis there.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | December 18, 2007 12:31 PM
Inconceivable!
Posted by: Anon | December 18, 2007 12:32 PM
I used to have pet rats (of the normal sized variety). I wonder if my landlord would let me keep an ROUS?
Also, does this mean we now have to worry about fire shooting from the ground and patches of lightning sand?
Posted by: Jon | December 18, 2007 12:35 PM
You've obviously never been to New York City.
Posted by: Ghosty | December 18, 2007 12:40 PM
Wow. I wonder if the beaver still gets the title for largest rodent? BAck in the ice age days there were giant beavers. And giant everything elses.
Posted by: Homie Bear | December 18, 2007 1:43 PM
The rat is actually immune to iocane powder
Posted by: BMatthews | December 18, 2007 2:19 PM
Whenever scientists announce they've discovered a new species my first thought is almost invariably, "I wonder what that tastes like?" But this time it was, "Imagine the investment strategy I could glean from that thing's brain!" Thanks Shelley.
I don't think that word means what you think it means.
Posted by: Abby Normal | December 18, 2007 4:59 PM
You've obviously never been to New York City.
Posted by: Ghosty | December 18, 2007 12:40 PM
Yep,
I was thinking the same thing! LOL! I sure hope these don't decide to try to beat that around the world in 80 days record! We would have to start genetically modifying the cats! LOL!
Dave Briggs :~)
Posted by: Dave Briggs | December 18, 2007 5:42 PM
I've always figured the real ROUS was a capybara (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capybara). Whenever I see them in a zoo I exclaim, "Look! There are the ROUSes!"
Posted by: Gerry L | December 18, 2007 11:43 PM
Does the researcher holding the ROUS have six fingers on his right hand?
Posted by: Lab Lemming | December 19, 2007 7:58 PM
I second the comments on NYC rats. Furthermore, that rodent the dude in the picture is holding is not "the size of a large cat" (unless the dude is eight feet tall and weighs 400 pounds).
Posted by: PhysioProf | December 19, 2007 11:44 PM
Not to be picky, but that rat is not the size of of a large cat, it is the size of a small cat.
Here is a picture of a LARGE cat! :D
http://upload.pbase.com/image/90616609/original
Posted by: Gingerbaker | December 21, 2007 3:04 PM
Wow! Now *that* is a large cat indeed! :)
Posted by: Shelley Batts | December 21, 2007 3:17 PM
Again, the Princess Bride proves oddly prescient.
Never get involved in a land war in Asia! Oooops ...
Posted by: Knight in Dragonland | December 23, 2007 1:55 AM