Social media users have been left speechless over a TikTok video of what looks like a family of giant-sized rats prowling the streets of Alexandra township in Gauteng.
The clip, which has since amassed over 900 000 views, was shared by Titus Mokone and shows five large rats walking next to a wall.
The comment section of the post portrayed the utter disbelief of South Africans as they shared their horror at the size of the massive rodents.
User @mkcertified said: “Excuse me, that’s someone’s dog please, ain’t no way those are rats, I refuse to believe.”
Residents living in Alex said in the comment section that rats have been a problem in the township for years with one user commenting “to those saying that those are not rats must stay in Alexandra and witness for yourself.”
For years now, the rats in Alex have been a big problem for residents who have become accustomed to seeing the furry creatures moving around the township.
The City of Johannesburg has vowed to tackle the issue and has made over R2 million available for pest control after an infant was attacked by the rats.
TikTok user @ukwezilokusa said: “I’ve seen these things, I doubt they’re rats, too big to be rats.”
And according to Dr Karin Lourens of the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital, this Tiktoker is correct, these are in fact not the rats we expect to find rummaging through our garbage and skittering in our ceilings.
“These are cane rats, lovely docile creatures,” Dr Lourens said.
Cane rats are common in areas of natural grassland and plantations, enjoying munching away at sweet, juicy sugar cane.
Cane rats are more closely related to porcupines than they are to common rats. They are considered a delicacy with many believing that a cane rat tastes much better than a rabbit.
Environment