Animal
09:15, 18-Aug-2018
Rare 'bamboo rat' photographed at Machu Picchu
Updated
09:12, 21-Aug-2018
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A rare rodent species known as "bamboo rat" that lives around the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu in Peru has resurfaced after a decade of absence and been photographed for the first time.
A specimen of the rodent Dactylomis peruanus was spotted by guards among bamboo trees at the citadel, which is surrounded by a protected area, said the National Service of Natural Protected Areas.
The last time the animal was recorded at Machu Picchu was in 2008.
A rare, little-known species of rodent commonly called "bamboo rat" /VCG Photo
A rare, little-known species of rodent commonly called "bamboo rat" /VCG Photo
The bamboo rat lives in subtropical or wet tropical areas, according to Peruvian authorities.
It has also been reported at medium-altitude heights on the slopes of the Andes in northern Bolivia.
In Peru, the animal is on a list of creatures about which little is known because it is seen so rarely.
(Top image: The bamboo rat /AFP Photo)
16930km
Source(s): AFP