Mizoram govt extends incentives for rat

Aizawl, Dec 01 (UNI) Following the reports of proliferation of big rodents, due to bamboo flowering in the region, The Mizoram government has extended the reward of Rs 1000 those who bring it dead or alive.

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

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

To verify the reports of the people from Darlawn village area in NE Mizoram our department has offered a reward of Rs 1000 for the rats, he added.

Apart from this, we also announced incentives to the villagers, who adopt setting up rat traps in their paddy fields, he said.

Mr James also pointed out that so far total of 14 rodent (murid) species were positively 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.

UNI SNR BA SS1041