Mizoram govt extends incentives for catching rodents

Aizawl, Dec 01 (UNI) Mizoram government has extended a reward of Rs 1000 for catching big rodents live or dead, following reports of their proliferation due to bamboo flowering in the region.

With bamboo starting to produce its fifty-year cycle of seed in the state, there were reports of big rats being seen.

Talking to UNI here today, Agriculture plant protection officer James Lalsiamliana said ''normally these species of big rat exist only in the plain areas, however, due to bamboo flowering it could have migrated to the hills''.

Incentives have been provided to the villagers, who adopt setting up rat traps in their paddy fields, he said.

Mr James also pointed out that so far a total of 14 rodents (murid) species were identified on the basis of specimens or photographs. An additional 20 species are likely to occur in Mizoram on the basis of their known regional distributions, he added.

UNI SNR BA AD ND1312