Gambian pouched rats

Gambian pouched rats share a mixed-species exhibit with fruit bats. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Next to the stylised African village inside the Dja Reserve pavilion, you’ll find a hefty rodent that can grow to the size of a small cat—the Gambian pouched rat.

This muscular rodent is not a true rat, because, like hamsters, it has well-developed cheek pouches in which it carries food to its nest. It lives a solitary life, occurring from the coast of western Africa through central Africa, with males being territorial and marking and defending their home ranges. In the wild, Gambian pouched rats build burrows in abandoned termite mounds and among tree roots.

In their native range, African pouched rats are often hunted for food. However, all four recognised species—Gambian, Emin’s, Kivu and Ansorgei—are also known for their highly developed sense of smell and intelligence. Ansorgei pouched rats, which are so similar to the Gambian pouched rat that they were considered the same species until recently, are even trained to detect land mines and diagnose tuberculosis in humans.