Threatened species of Cricetomys

Name(s): 
Endangered species of African giant pouched rats
Nature 
[Cricetomys] are in great demand as food.
Background 
Other language names: French [Rats géants]; German [Riesenhamsterratte].
Incidence 
The African giant rat [Cricetomys gambianus] is found in tropical Africa, where it is highly esteemed as food, and often reaches a length approaching one metre from nose-tip to tail-tip. These giant rats are often accompanied by a highly unusual parasite, a "weird, wingless cockroach," [Hemimerus talpoides], almost 2 cm in length. The smaller [C. gambianus] (30 to 45 cm in length) is found from Senegal to central Sudan, and south to South Africa. It is confined to the eastern parts of the continent in areas with a mean annual rainfall in excess of about 800 mm. [C. emini] ranges from Sierra Leone to Lake Tanganyika, and on the island of Bioko (Fernando Poo), has been studied for its potential for domestic production of food. The giant rat [C. gambianus] has a wide distribution south of the Sahara.

[Cricetomys gambianus] is classified as rare in South Africa and as "Lower Risk" by the IUCN as is [Cricetomys emini].

Type 
(E) Emanations of other problems