Giant Rats for Meat—and some Taboos

Abstract

Meat is short in southern Nigeria. Wild animal meat is popular, but the wildlife is seriously depleted. To help supply the demand for meat and also ease the pressure on the wildlife, a quick-breeding species, the giant or pouched rat, is being domesticated. The author describes some of the widely held taboos about this meat, which nevertheless is in considerable demand. © 1974, Fauna and Flora International. All rights reserved.