Several articles
about large rats invading Grassy Key, one of the
islands of Marathon, appeared during the months of
December 2004 and January 2005
Usa Today and the Key
West Citizen wrote about how these large Gambian Pouch
Rats are a cause of worry to Florida Officials.
The rats are referred
to as an unwanted newcomer, which " needs to be
eradicated, before it increases its range and harms
native species that live in natural areas of the
Keys." The "animal could be devastating to the Florida
Keys' ecological system." The Gambian rat could
"compete for food with endangered species such as the
silver rice rat, carry diseases and eat bird eggs."
A " greater threat is
that the pouch rat could make it to Key Largo,
threatening the endangered wood rat," and "There's no
telling what would happen if they made it to the
mainland."
"There is no telling
how many of the rats are living on Grassy Key now" a
biologist is quoted as saying in the
article.
For more on these
Grassy Key rats go to
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/southflorida/news/gambianrat2005.html
or
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-01-03-fla-rats_x.htm
