Rodents, which include cute domesticated hamsters and terrifying porcupines, are the most numerous detachment of mammals. But they appeared on the planet back in the Cretaceous period, about 70 million years ago.
All representatives of the rodent order are diverse in size and body structure, but have one thing in common - the presence of two large incisors in the upper and lower jaw.
We will present the largest of more than 22 thousand species and find out which is the largest rodent in the world according to thebiggest.ru website.
The largest rodents in the world:
7
Asian giant squirrel
We begin our acquaintance with rodents with the fastest, and perhaps the most beautiful representative of the family - squirrel.
The giant squirrel, or as it is also called Ratufa the Big Tailed, is rightfully considered the largest squirrel in the world. On average, it reaches a length of about half a meter, and weighs 2.5-3 kilograms.
The animal has a bright and original color, and the appearance is quite pretty. Rounded ears are crowned with fun tassels. You can meet with original proteins in some countries of Southeast Asia and on the island of Ceylon.
6
Big gopher
The rodent from the gopher squad is also called the "ginger gopher." And let it be significantly inferior in body length and weight to its detachable relatives of rodents, but, in its way, is a rather large mammal.
The weight of an adult gopher during hibernation, when he gained subcutaneous fat, reaches 1.5 kilograms, but the length varies from 24 to 33 centimeters.
But the largest gopher in Russia is the yellow gopher, whose weight reaches 1.6 kilograms. Note that the yellow gopher does the least harm to cereal crops.
5
Belgian giant
And now to the domestic rodents. Two rabbits of this breed live in the UK, and their owners organized a competition, which of them will grow more. It is a mistake to attribute rabbits to rodents, because they belong to the order of Hare. But among the people they are often referred to as rodents. No wonder Carl Linnaeus initially identified rabbits and rodents in a single class of rodents.
The Ralph rabbit, weighing 22 kilograms, is the heaviest on the planet, but Darius got into the book of records due to the length of his body, which is 1.3 meters.
Perhaps Daria will overtake her own son, nicknamed Jeff. Which has already reached a length of 1 meter, and by puberty, the length of the rabbit can increase significantly.
And about the largest breeds of rabbits on thebiggest there is a very interesting article.
4
Baibak
A rodent from a large genus of marmots lives in the steppe zone of Eurasia, but due to the plowing up of virgin lands the population of this amazing animal has significantly decreased.
The baibak is the largest in the squirrel family, and with a growth of 60–70 centimeters it reaches a weight of up to 10 kilograms. They gain weight before hibernation, from which they leave in early March.
These inhabitants of the steppes eat plant food, but in captivity they can also eat meat, and since they hibernate, they do not make any reserves for the winter.
3
Crested porcupine
The most famous and largest among its relatives, the crested porcupine lives from the coast of Italy to China. With an average weight of 9-12 kilograms, some well-fed males sometimes reach 27 kilograms.
This animal is easily recognizable thanks to the sharp needles that cover the stocky body. The rodent leads a nocturnal lifestyle, and during the day he sits in his den and leaves it only after dark.
Easily adapt to the conditions of captivity, so almost every zoo in the world boasts a family of these amazing rodents.
2
Beaver
The rodent is divided into two species: the first is an ordinary beaver, whose range extends from the Atlantic to the steppes of Mongolia, and the second is a Canadian beaver.
From the ancient Greek name of the animal is translated as "wood". And everyone knows that beavers are great builders who build on the rivers and lakes of the dam.
The body length of adults reaches 1 meter 30 centimeters, and weight from 30 to 32 kilograms. An amazing animal flaunts on many coats of arms of European cities, and in Russia they issued a series of coins dedicated to beavers.
And below you can see a video with a beaver attack on a person:
1
Capybara
The largest rodent in the world, belongs to the family of capybaras, and lives off the coast of tropical reservoirs in Latin America.
Female capybaras are larger than males and weigh from 36 to 65 kilograms. We also note that the largest rodent at the withers reaches 50-60 centimeters.
These unusual animals live in small groups, in which the male dominates, but loners also occur in nature. They lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle, trying not to move away from water bodies by more than 1,000 meters.
Interestingly, about 300 years ago, the Catholic Church classified these unique animals as fish. This trick allowed me to eat capybara meat during fasting.
Conclusion
Looking from a height of today on the relationship of a person with rodents, it can be noted that rodents have accompanied people throughout the history of mankind. Some brought benefits as a source of food, furs for making warm clothes, fats for heating homes, while others, on the contrary, destroyed stocks, and also were carriers of deadly diseases.
But be that as it may, rodents are a significant part of the ecosystem of the planet, moreover, they have firmly entered into culture and heraldry. Their images can be found on stamps, coins, commemorative medals, as well as on flags and emblems.
Now you know what the largest rodents of the planet Earth look like. The editors of our site thebiggest.ru asks you to write a comment on the topic of the article.
Article author: Valery Skiba