ATTACK OF THE GIANT RODENTS

                        From Worldometer (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):

        DAY  USA  WORLD   Brazil    India    South Africa

June     9    1093     4732         1185        246       82

July    22     1205     7128         1293      1120     572

Aug    12     1504     6556        1242        835     130

Sept     9     1208      6222       1136       1168       82

Oct     21     1225      6849         571        703       85

Nov    25      2304    12025        620        518      118

Dec    30      3880    14748       1224       299      465

Jan     14       4142     15512        1151        189      712              

Feb      3       4005    14265       1209       107      398

Mar     2        1989      9490        1726       110      194

April   6          906     11787         4211       631       37

May    4         853     13667         3025     3786      59 

June   1         287    10637         2346      3205       95

 July   7          251      8440        1595        817       411

Aug    4          656    10120        1118         532      423 

Sept   1        1480    10470          703        505      235

          8        1700      9836          250        339     253

        14        1934      9001          709        281      300

        22       2228      9326          839        279      124

        29        2190      8859         643        309     108

Oct    5        1811       7495          686        285     103

          6        2102       8255         543        315       59

        12        1819        7544          201        249       37 

        18        1563       7228          381         199       55

Summary:   looks better, but many times the Tuesday version (the above represents Monday) is much lower than what you will see tomorrow.

Yesterday I noted that Russia was suffering from too many COVID-19 deaths because people did not trust their government and therefore remained mostly unvaccinated.  The 1563 new deaths the U.S. suffered yesterday was by far the highest in the word, but Russia was number two with 1015.  Third place went to Brazil with 381 new deaths.

My science topic of the day is from the Wall Street Journal:

2 - Argentine Showdown Rodents the size of St. Bernards overrun an exclusive gated community A national commotion has erupted as environmentalists confront wealthy homeowners in the posh gated Argentine community of Nordelta due to some unlikely visitors. Known as Capybaras, the world’s largest rodents can reach 140 pounds and have been freely roaming streets and pristine lawns, triggering demands for them to be relocated or castrated. Often compared to a guinea pig the size of a St. Bernard, but with beaver-like chompers, the herbivores have an insatiable appetite and XXL-size droppings. No side has won, as the protection of these large rodents clashes with the peace of mind of their wealthy neighbors.

There is an inherent fear of rodents, perhaps going back to the Black Death days of the middle 1300's.  However, keep in mind that the rat is just a carrier of the flea that spreads a bacterium, Yersinia pestis.  

Certainly unnerving, though, is seeing a huge black rat (this is supposedly the most dangerous) in your home, or hearing some in the attic.  But that is not the case indicated above where human development encroached into the natural habitat of capybaras.

If you are unfamiliar with with this giant rodent, though, you can be pardoned for being concerned about that incident in Argentina.  However, if you have seen this animal before, your first thought is why can't these rich people share space with their  natural neighbors.  To quote:

In politically polarized Argentina, leftists have long attacked Nordelta as an example of elite exploitation, while jokingly presenting the capybara as a hero of the working classes.

There have been larger capybaras, like the Josephoartigasia monesi, which could have weighed up to 2000 pounds.  They had fearsome front teeth, and might well have been a serious threat to your comfortable neighborhood.  But they went extinct a couple of million years ago.

The capybara, which can reach 175 pounds (the largest black rat is half a pound), is a gentle animal, related to a chinchilla and looks like a large Guinea pig.  They can be trained to walk on a leash and is a common exotic pet, especially in Texas and Pennsylvania.  It is illegal in many states.  Cost?  A baby can be purchased for $1000 and up.  Might be difficult to find an appropriate veterinarian.

They enjoy cuddling and being stroked, but only if reared from childhood in a home, and can be house-trained.  They are herbivores, and are known to eat their feces to aid digestion.  Plus they will chew on things like electrical cords and furniture.  As a pet, feed them hay, guinea pig pellets and high fiber biscuits, plus fruits and vegetable.  It would better if you have a pool large enough for them to swim in.  However, they urinate and defecate in water, so....  Be careful about sunburn.  Needs a companion, and the more the better.  

This will not be a cheap pet.  Get a dog.

Why the problem in Argentinia?  When scared, they become nervous and can bite.  They do have sharp front teeth, and are territorial.  But this video shows they seem to be compatible with the neighborhood.

Another video showing how friendly they are.  Want to see more and you have child to take to a Disney movie?  See Encanto, an animated film being released next month.

I'll end with a couple of animal videos:

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