Another target rich environment!

[Timothy]

Yes folks, Florida has another pest to eradicate!  Where the heck is the Quaker with his stealth air rifle?

 
But a breed of giant, Gambian rats have been rapidly reproducing in the Florida Keys despite a decade-long effort to wipe them out. KeysNet reports the invasive, African native species first began showing up between 1999-2001 after a local exotic animal breeder released eight of the rats into the wild.

"We thought we had them whipped as of 2009," said Scott Hardin, exotic species coordinator for Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "We think they have not moved far but they clearly reproduced," he said.

The rodents, officially known as the Gambian pouched rat, are the largest known breed of rats in the world. They can grow up to three feet in length and weigh as much as nine pounds. Wildlife officials fear that if the large-sized rodents make it to the Florida mainland, they could devastate local crops if they reach the Florida mainland.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been working with Florida officials to wipe out the rodents, and there are only an estimate few dozen at large, but they can reproduce quickly and do so only five months after being born. After producing a litter, the Gambian rat only has to wait another nine months before having another litter, bearing up to six babies at a time.
Officials thought they had successfully gotten rid of all of the Gambian rats back in 2008, but several of the burrowing creatures recently began showing up in the yards of local residents. "We were skeptical but went back and talked to people and [saw] there were rats that we missed," Hardin told KeysNet.

Using cantaloupe and peanut butter as bait, officials say are planning another to distribute another 200 traps in an effort to clear the keys of the Gambian rats, some of which are larger than the average house cat.

"We're going to try to trap at least that often until we see signs that we have knocked them back," Hardin said.

[blackwolfe]

Might need something bigger than Quaker and his air rifle if you get some of those three footers around.

[tombogan03884]

Not really news, Washington DC has been infested with 6 ft. Kenyan rats for about 3 years now

[alfsauve]

So, ROUS's really do exist.

[twyacht]

What's really worse are the African Black Snails....

Snip

http://miami.cbslocal.com/2011/09/15/giant-african-land-snails-return-to-south-florida/

The Giant African land snail is one of the most damaging snails in the world because they consume at least 500 different types of plants, can cause structural damage to plaster and stucco on houses, and can carry a parasitic worm that can lead to meningitis in humans. The snails transmit diseases to humans through consumption of raw or improperly cooked meat or by contact with human mucous membranes such as eyes, nose and mouth.

I gotta get the (insert expletive) outta here, like in did in the late 80's....Damn economy and stupid boats....I should have just stayed a land based electrician....

[Sponsor]

[Timothy]

I gotta get the (insert expletive) outta here, like in did in the late 80's....Damn economy and stupid boats....I should have just stayed a land based electrician....

There is something to be said about the northeast.  We have generally decent weather 8 or 9 months a year, no tornado to speak of, a hurricane every ten years or so and two indigenous vipers, the copperhead and the timber rattler!

No big ass rats, no big ass lizards, no big ass cats, no irritating ants or other buggie little buggers, and only the occasional bear knocking over trash barrels.  The worst thing we have are the quick breeding liberals and you can trap them pretty easily with some hemp and a tambourine!  

 

[santahog]

 The worst thing we have are the quick breeding liberals and you can trap them pretty easily with some hemp and a tambourine!  

 

But they're a protected species.... 

[tombogan03884]

There is something to be said about the northeast.  We have generally decent weather 8 or 9 months a year, no tornado to speak of, a hurricane every ten years or so and two indigenous vipers, the copperhead and the timber rattler!

No big ass rats, no big ass lizards, no big ass cats, no irritating ants or other buggie little buggers, and only the occasional bear knocking over trash barrels.  The worst thing we have are the quick breeding liberals and you can trap them pretty easily with some hemp and a tambourine! 

 

Up here in NH we don't have Copperheads (just democrats, and bragging rights to anyone who gets the connection    )
and the Timber Rattlers are so rare Fish and Game will not release the location of the last sighting.
Blizzards may qualify as "Natural disasters" but they are much quieter than hurricanes, tornado's and earthquakes, plus they usually leave the house standing. 

[Pathfinder]

Up here in NH we don't have Copperheads (just democrats, and bragging rights to anyone who gets the connection    )
and the Timber Rattlers are so rare Fish and Game will not release the location of the last sighting.
Blizzards may qualify as "Natural disasters" but they are much quieter than hurricanes, tornado's and earthquakes, plus they usually leave the house standing. 

Civil War - 'nuf said?

[Timothy]

Civil War - 'nuf said?

Close enough...