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Strange Animal Turns Up In Yard


vampgirl

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A strange animal turns up in an Oregon yard. Now, humane society workers are trying to figure out what kind of animal it is.

At first authorities thought it was a wallaby. Then they thought it was a huge rodent. Now they just want to find a home for it.

"I thought it was a jackelope without horns," said Coy Middletone, who discovered the animal in his front yard.

One local humane society employee thought the animal may be a capybara, which is known as the world's largest rodent. However, animal experts thought the creature was more likely a distant relative of the Guinea pig.

Authorities think the animal may have been someone's pet and may have gotten loose.

Officials said they can't adopt out wild animals and will have to call a rescue organization or the zoo if the animal is not claimed.source

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here is the link to the story!!!

mystery animal link

Mystery animal has been identified!!!

"PATAGONIAN CAVY"

mystery animal confirmed

Now The Patagonian cavy has been reunited with its owner!!!

cavy reunited with owner

(You need to register in order to see the article)

Exotic animal reunited with owner

05:52 PM PST on Friday, November 12, 2004

By ANTONIA GIEDWOYN and KELLY LOVE / KGW Staff

KELSO, Wash. -- It’s a wallaby, it’s a giant rodent -- it’s a … a … what is it?

Video

KING 5's Cathy Kiyomura reports

A confounded Kelso homeowner found a strange, exotic animal wandering around his front yard on Thursday.

“I thought it was a jackalope without horns,” joked Coy Middletone. “It's a real gentle little rodent, mammal whatever,” he said.

He called the sheriff’s department and at first, authorities thought the animal was a small kangaroo. They turned it over to the Cowlitz County Humane Society, where an employee identified the furry brown, log-legged creature as a capybara, the word’s largest rodent, and endemic to South America.

KGW

The exotic South American animal was taken to the Humane Society.

However, upon further inspection, animal experts concluded that the animal is actually a Patagonian cavy, also known as a Patagonian mara. The South American animal is the world’s second largest rodent and a distant relative of the guinea pig.

Eventually, its owner came forward. On Friday, Kelso resident Jessica Croy identified the cavy as her pet, Nicky.

“He’s a really nice animal … he doesn’t bite, he’s not aggressive … he talks back to you, you know, he makes his little ee, ee, ee, ee, ee noise,” Croy said, gathering Nicky up in her arms.

So how did the cavy get loose?

Croy, who owns many animals, including other exotic species, said her pot-bellied pigs knocked over Nicky's pen in the yard.

She said she's happy to have her pet back after finding out he was missing when a friend spotted Nicky on the television news. The animal was found within several blocks of Croy's home.

Kelso authorities said keeping a cavy as a pet in Wash. is legal, but the animal must be registered.

In the wild, cavies live in arid grasslands in South America and can run up to 35 miles per hour. They have been described as looking part rabbit, part miniature antelope, part kangaroo. The animals are known to form life-long, monogamous bonds.

(KGW reporter Keely Chalmers also contributed to this story.)

Edit-Merged posts -UA

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On another note, the humane society charged the owners, who did have there pets licenced and registered with the state HUNDREDS of dollars to keep the pet over night, and to return it to them. Then they requested that the owners bring in all their exotic pets to make sure they where all registered with the state! The owners didn't do anything wrong, had always been law abiding citizens, but then the Humane Society had a cow... Its sad when people are thought to be "guilty" not following the law until proven otherwise. That sucks...!!!

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I'm so glad it's back with it's family. thumbsup.gif

The system is terrible though...I rescued a doe, that had been somebodies pet, and tried for two weeks to find a place for it to go where it wouldn't be hunted. Everyone I called reminded me that I could be fined $5000 if I was caught with it. Besides that a deer cannot be transported unless it's tranquilized. I'd do it again...but next time I'll know more about what I'm getting into. wacko.gif

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There are so many laws and regulations that are there to supossedly protect animals, but then are used against them. I would help a animal in distress, too... It just seems like some authorities are drivien by the fines they can give out... Not EVERY authority.. But alot of them.

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i say its a dragon

now no one can say we dont have proofs of dragons.

Edited by Sir_Oguh2
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Looks like a giant rabbit thingy to me, maybe someone crossed a couple breeds of rabbits and rodents and stuff, who knows.

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hey look at that thing, bless original.gif

i'm glad they found out what it was...

just goes to show that animals can end up anywhere...

cool.gif

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Heres some facts.

Patagonian Cavy

What: Rodent in the same family as the guinea pig.

Native range: Grasslands of the Patagonia region of central and southern Argentina.

Description: Somewhat resembles a large hare with long, slender legs, with a head reminiscent of a kangaroo or wallaby; coat is grayish-brown, with white on the inside of the tail, which the cavy uses as an alarm signal.

Size: Up to 35 pounds.

Diet: Feeds on grasses and other plants.

Behavior: Travel in mated pairs, female first. Swift runner and leaps to 6 feet.

Home life: Lives in underground dens with groups of 10-15 pairs.

Reproduction: Monogamous for life. Bear 1-3 young two or three times a year. Young mature in 2-6 months.

Sounds: Grunts, grumbles and screams.

Conservation status: Declining in wild due to habitat destruction and competition from introduced European hare.

In captivity: Easily maintained and readily breed. Available for sale on Internet.

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wow you can buy animals on the internet...

weird much....

cool.gif

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Wierd. It looks like a capybara that had the legs shaved down. I think that's what this probably is.

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here is the link to the story!!!

mystery animal link

Mystery animal has been identified!!!

"PATAGONIAN CAVY"

mystery  animal confirmed

Now The Patagonian cavy has been reunited with its owner!!!

cavy reunited with owner

(You need to register in order to see the article)

Exotic animal reunited with owner

05:52 PM PST on Friday, November 12, 2004

By ANTONIA GIEDWOYN and KELLY LOVE / KGW Staff

KELSO, Wash. -- It’s a wallaby, it’s a giant rodent -- it’s a … a … what is it?

Video

KING 5's Cathy Kiyomura reports

A confounded Kelso homeowner found a strange, exotic animal wandering around his front yard on Thursday.

“I thought it was a jackalope without horns,” joked Coy Middletone. “It's a real gentle little rodent, mammal whatever,” he said.

He called the sheriff’s department and at first, authorities thought the animal was a small kangaroo. They turned it over to the Cowlitz County Humane Society, where an employee identified the furry brown, log-legged creature as a capybara, the word’s largest rodent, and endemic to South America.

KGW

The exotic South American animal was taken to the Humane Society.

However, upon further inspection, animal experts concluded that the animal is actually a Patagonian cavy, also known as a Patagonian mara. The South American animal is the world’s second largest rodent and a distant relative of the guinea pig.

Eventually, its owner came forward. On Friday, Kelso resident Jessica Croy identified the cavy as her pet, Nicky.

“He’s a really nice animal … he doesn’t bite, he’s not aggressive … he talks back to you, you know, he makes his little ee, ee, ee, ee, ee noise,” Croy said, gathering Nicky up in her arms.

So how did the cavy get loose?

Croy, who owns many animals, including other exotic species, said her pot-bellied pigs knocked over Nicky's pen in the yard.

She said she's happy to have her pet back after finding out he was missing when a friend spotted Nicky on the television news. The animal was found within several blocks of Croy's home.

Kelso authorities said keeping a cavy as a pet in Wash. is legal, but the animal must be registered.

In the wild, cavies live in arid grasslands in South America and can run up to 35 miles per hour. They have been described as looking part rabbit, part miniature antelope, part kangaroo. The animals are known to form life-long, monogamous bonds.

(KGW reporter Keely Chalmers also contributed to this story.)

Edit-Merged posts -UA

357027[/snapback]

its already been explained monster thumbsup.gif

cool.gif

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Weird looking animal.It is defenitely a capybara though...

post-10180-1100578354.jpg

post-10180-1100578376.jpg

Edited by Canadian
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Weird looking animal.It is defenitely a capybara though...

358018[/snapback]

its a "PATAGONIAN CAVY"

read the other posts people rolleyes.gif

cool.gif

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A strange animal turns up in an Oregon yard. Now, humane society workers are trying to figure out what kind of animal it is.

At first authorities thought it was a wallaby. Then they thought it was a huge rodent. Now they just want to find a home for it.

"I thought it was a jackelope without horns," said Coy Middletone, who discovered the animal in his front yard.

One local humane society employee thought the animal may be a capybara, which is known as the world's largest rodent. However, animal experts thought the creature was more likely a distant relative of the Guinea pig.

Authorities think the animal may have been someone's pet and may have gotten loose.

Officials said they can't adopt out wild animals and will have to call a rescue organization or the zoo if the animal is not claimed.source

356925[/snapback]

It's not a jackalope or a wallaby, it's a mara.

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For some reason the pic isn't working at all. Could you post up a link for it?

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