# The living fossil Laotian Rock Rat that walks like a duck - with video **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 2, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719 "2008-05-02T04:42:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719/1 "2008-05-02T04:42:04Z")
[Look at how it walks!](http://www.rinr.fsu.edu/rockrat/) > [@](#): > > The remarkable video and photos shot by David Redfield, a professor emeritus of FSU’s science education faculty, and Thai wildlife biologist Uthai Treesucon are being hailed as historic images documenting a true “living fossil,” the Laotian rock rat. > > The Laotian rock rat is so called for its only known habitat — limestone outcroppings in Central Laos — and the appearance of the animal’s head and face, which sport long whiskers and beady eyes like those of a rat. > > Redfield’s video shows a docile, squirrel-sized animal covered with dark, dense fur and bearing a long tail that’s not as bushy as that of a typical squirrel. Perhaps the most striking observation is how the animal walks — like a duck. Clearly not adapted to climbing trees, the rock rat exhibits a duck-like waddle with its hind feet splayed out at an angle to its body. ---
**Author:** ![Spacegirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Spacegirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spacegirl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719/2 "2008-05-02T06:41:23Z")
[QUOTE=astro] [Look at how it walks!](http://www.rinr.fsu.edu/rockrat/) [/QUOTE] Oh it’s cute! Its little butt wiggles when it walks! ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719/3 "2008-05-02T11:41:24Z")
But does its squeek echo? Brian ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719/4 "2008-05-02T11:55:05Z")
Adorable little bugger, I wonder what he tastes like ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719/5 "2008-05-02T12:52:31Z")
Cute! It didn’t seem to be afraid of being handled. I wonder if they’ll be kept as pets? I want one! That furry tail is cool!! ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719/6 "2008-05-02T12:58:24Z")
[QUOTE=N9IWP] But does its squeek echo? [/QUOTE] You mean, does it talk like a duck? Because, if it walks like a duck, and it talks like a duck… ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719/7 "2008-05-02T16:19:40Z")
[QUOTE=nd\_n8] Adorable little bugger, I wonder what he tastes like [/QUOTE] A bit like spotted owl. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719/8 "2008-05-02T16:25:29Z")
[QUOTE=ShibbOleth] A bit like spotted owl. [/QUOTE] With a slight hint of Snail Darter mixed in! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719/9 "2008-05-02T16:51:32Z")
[QUOTE=N9IWP] But does its squeek echo? Brian [/QUOTE] Nope. And no one knows why. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719/10 "2008-05-02T18:04:08Z")
[QUOTE=Mama Zappa] Cute! It didn’t seem to be afraid of being handled. [/QUOTE] I’m guessing then that it doesn’t have many (any?) natural predators. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-living-fossil-laotian-rock-rat-that-walks-like-a-duck-with-video/447719/11 "2008-05-02T19:32:00Z")
Only unnatural ones, like vampires and angry robots.