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BANDICOTA INDICA, the BANDICOOT RAT 3.1 The CHAPTER THREE BANDICOTA INDICA, THE BANDICOOT RAT 3.1 The Living Animal 3.1.1 Zoology Rats and mice (family Muridae) are the most common and well-known rodents, not only of the fi elds, cultivated areas, gardens, and storage places but especially so of the houses. Though there are many genera and species, their general appearance is pretty the same. Rats are on average twice as large as mice (see Chapter 31). The bandicoot is the largest rat on the Indian subcontinent, with a body and head length of 30–40 cm and an equally long tail; this is twice as large as the black rat or common house rat (see section 3.1.2 below). This large size immediately distinguishes the bandicoot from other rats. Bandicoots have a robust form, a rounded head, large rounded or oval ears, and a short, broad muzzle. Their long and naked scaly tail is typical of practically all rats and mice. Bandicoots erect their piles of long hairs and grunt when excited. Bandicoots are found practically on the whole of the subcontinent from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin, including Sri Lanka, but they are not found in the deserts and the semi-arid zones of north-west India. Here, they are replaced by a related species, the short-tailed bandicoot (see section 3.1.2 below). The bandicoot is essentially parasitic on man, living in or about human dwellings. They cause a lot of damage to grounds and fl oorings because of their burrowing habits; they also dig tunnels through bricks and masonry. Their large burrows and piles of fresh earth resembling large molehills are a good indication of their presence. Like most other rats they are omnivorous and feed on household refuse, on grain and vegetables, eggs, and occasionally attack poultry. It is said that hungry rats attack larger animals and may even gnaw the feet of captive elephants. Bandicoots have underground store rooms, which are often dug up by people for these hoards of food. bandicoot rat 75 3.1.2 Related Species Closely related to the bandicoot are the Indian mole-rat (Bandicota bengalensis; fi g. 50), and the short-tailed bandicoot (Nesokia indica). Both are half the size of the bandicoot; the latter has in addition a relatively short tail, shorter than its body length. The short-tailed bandicoot has a brownish or golden coat, sometimes coarse and spiky as that of the bandicoot, sometimes long and soft. Its muzzle is broad and short, as in the bandicoot. The short-tailed bandicoot is restricted to the water places in the desert and semi-arid zones of north-west India.1 The Indian mole-rat is the common rat in Calcutta, where it forms about 98% of the total rodent population and is notoriously destructive to crops and cultivation.2 Other rats that can be found in cultivation and towns are the black rat, or common house rat (Rattus rattus), and the brown rat (Rattus nor- vegicus; fi g. 51). Bush and wood rats, such as the Indian bush rat (Gol- unda ellioti) and the white-tailed wood rat (Rattus blanfordi), live mainly in scrub and forest and cause thus considerable less damage to crops and cultivation. The common house rat has its origin in the tropics of India and Myanmar, from where it spread to the rest of the world. It cannot survive in the cold and is therefore largely limited to sheltered places outside the tropics. There are many colour varieties and only very few are black indeed, despite its common designation of black rat. The brown rat originates from the temperate regions of Central Asia and is thus more successful in cooler climates. Brown rats are typically rats that live outside the house, whereas the black or common rat prefers the house and its direct environment. In India, the common house rat is common indeed, contrary to the brown rat, which is limited largely to seaports and larger towns and cities. There, they live chiefl y in drains and sewers, because they can only survive the tropics in association with water. 1 Its distribution over the arid zones from Egypt to the Far East is, in my view, sug- gestive of a passive transport of the species along the Silk Road; it cannot travel on its own from water well to water well. At present, it is an endangered species. 2 Prater, op. cit. (1971), 206..
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