Giant Rat-Eating Plant Discovered in the Philippines

Minstrel

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Something about carnivorous plants just strikes the imagination--what kid isn't awed/grossed out by Venus Flytraps when they first see them? To this day, as a (semi) grown man, I still admit to determining insect-eating plants to be "really cool." So what would the world think of a plant that eats rats? We're about to find out--scientists just discovered a new species of a plant that does exactly that in a remote area of the Philippines.

The BBC describes the newly discovered species as a new kind of pitcher plant. And this one is evidently "among the largest of all pitchers and is so big that it can catch rats as well as insects in its leafy trap." Which makes it a pretty mean carnivorous plant--it catches insects, rodents, and other small animals in its tubes as they tumble down into them. The plant then closes its tube, trapping the prey inside.
And since the plant grows in such a remote location--in highlands next to inaccessible to humans--researchers hope the plant will be able to continue to thrive unhampered by poachers.

Oh yeah, and one more thing. The giant rat-eating plant has been named after David Attenborough. Not sure what the researchers are implying by the tribute, but the plant will be called Nepenthes attenboroughii, in honor of the famous naturalist and broadcaster.

It's not something that comes around everyday--brand new rat-eating plants named after British television stars are getting harder to find these days.
 

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River Rat

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:o I'll never go the the Philippines...this scares me :laughing7:

:wink: RR
 

Tank69

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lol I allready got a rat eater in my house betwwen the snake and a plant eatin rats I'd have to make trips to the pet store every other day to feed em ......lol sure is a cool plant tho :icon_thumright:
 

Xraywolf

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I'd like to stick my arm in that thing, and see what happens ,,,
 

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Cappy Z.

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Years ago we had a similar plant around our home. One evening the mother in law stepped outside for a breath of fresh air....simply disappeared.
 

shaun7

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Xraywolf said:
I'd like to stick my arm in that thing, and see what happens ,,,



I'd like to watch that, and see what happens :D
 

jeff of pa

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I want some

Need to get rid of Groundhogs :icon_thumleft:

& It is too hard to put
a Leash on a Python
 

Tubecity

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Have they discovered one yet that has a taste preference for socialists ?
I'll pass on the beach vacation this year for one of those. ::)
 

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Cappy Z.

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Tubecity said:
Have they discovered one yet that has a taste preference for socialists ?
I'll pass on the beach vacation this year for one of those. ::)

You win. Tubesteak. Hook line and sinker.

I hope a certain kind 'anti-socialist'...meets the same fate.

:wink:
 

jeff of pa

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texastee2007 said:
thank you Minstrel...and it reminds me of Little House of Horrors.....Feed Me Seymour!!

 

curbdiggercarl57

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Hey, as long as it doesn't try and sell me treasure maps of hidden WW2 gold, I'm all for it!
Carl
 

Tubecity

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Hey Cappy, how have you been ? Good to see you back, old avatar & all . We sure have
bumped some heads over the last few years, huh ? :BangHead: But, nothings changed,
I'm just a little more stubborn & bull-headed . And even further to the right. But I did miss
you, kinda like an old coonhound with no fleas to scratch. :wink: Only kidding, but I'm
sure we will have time for further discussions. But I would have a gentleman's sip of that
bourbon with you regardless. Not too picky, but I have a preference for 'Elijah Craig'. :occasion14:
 

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