Rare species of bamboo rat spotted in north Bengal
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Kolkata: The Bengal forest department has confirmed that a rare species of bamboo rat was found in north Bengal on Tuesday.
According to them, this is probably the first time the species was spotted in the entire state.
The animal was first detected by local villagers of the Ambari-Falakata Range under the Baikunthapur Forest Division.
"These species are generally witnessed in bamboo woods considering that the soft fleshy portion inside the bamboo is their staple diet,” said a senior official of the state forest department.
“These species are detected mainly in Nepal, Bangladesh and parts of northeastern India. But as per the records of the state government, this is for the first time that a Bamboo Rat is detected not just in any forest in north Bengal but anywhere within West Bengal," he added.
The forest department officials are wondering how this species reached the Baikunthapur forest alone, as they always move in groups.
With inputs from IANS