Eagles Battle Giant Gerbils

[GCP]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/030819/325/e6gpa.html


BEIJING (Reuters) - China is deploying eagles to control giant gerbils that have damaged an area of grassland larger than Switzerland.
The China Daily said on Tuesday burrowing by great gerbils (Rhombomys opimus) and other rodents had damaged 4.76 million hectares (11.76 million acres) of grassland in the far west. About 33,000 hectares (81,540 acres) had been completely destroyed.

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:crazy:

[matcom]

1. i vote this thread title.......

THREAD TITLE OF THE YEAR!! :D

:hi: Sue :hi:

GREAT POST!!

:bounce:

[GCP]

12. When I saw the title on yahoo I thought it was a battle of the bands

kind of thing!

:)

[MrMonk]

34. or another NFL expansion team.

[catzies]

36. Yeah, or the Flaming Lips' next album

After you title an album "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" anything is possible. :crazy:

[LosinIt]

2. And here is a link to a picture and more info on the furry beasts

http://www.rodent.demon.co.uk/gerbils/great.htm


Funny they don't look real harmful, just plentiful, hungry, and horny.

[RapidCreek]

3. Just like human beings!

RC

[Corgigal]

4. Cute

I want one. I can walk him on a leash.

[noonwitch]

18. They're cute rats

My cat would still view them as edible toys.

[AlGore-08.com]

19. They're cute, but they're no capybaras

http://www.capybara.com/capybaras/What/What_2.html
What is a Capybara?
Largest rodent alive with body length of 42 to 53 inches and height at shoulder 20 to 24 inches; weight of male is 77 to 140 pounds, of female 80 to 145 pounds. Small eyes set towards the top of the head as are nostrils. Front and rear legs are different lengths with the front shorter; toes are slightly webbed with 4 toes on front feet and 3 toes on rear feet. Skin is tough and thinly haired with the color of the hairs usually from brown to red.

[sprockets]

27. Here's the REAL picture they dont want you to see!

[0rganism]

31. What you can't see from the photos is they're 50 feet tall

If you zoom in real close, you'll see those aren't twigs and pebbles, but skulls and bones of their many victims.

Yeah, they look cute from a distance, but up close... watch out!

[R Hickey]

5. The Chinese Government should declare the area a national park.

The Chinese government could then make trails for four wheelers, and allow the riders to carry .22's to hunt the gerbils. The tourist board could market the area to Westerners as a sportsman's paradise.

Perhaps they could name it Gerble-stone Park. My vision is a giant game park, with gerbils as targets. In the winter, authorities could allow snowmobilers to carry guns and do the same. Gerbil-burgers might also become a favorite at the Chinese's McDonald's franchises.

[LosinIt]

7. My God, you're brilliant!

You have a future in marketing.

[chromotone]

17. How 'bout "Rich Rhomboid Mouse State Park?"

It'll give American Sportsmen a chance to try out the new S&W .50 handgun:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20030213-1426-newrevolver.html

"The primary market for it is hunting" big game, spokesman Ken Jorgensen said. (Big gerbils = big game)

[northzax]

25. yeah-ok

but who's going to pay money to go gerbil hunting?

[Spentastic]

6. Rodents of Mass Destruction?

Invade China!

[FlashHarry]

8. I liked 'Godzilla versus Mothra' better.

What? This isn't a new Toho Studios film?

[Elidor]

9. I had this image of Glenn Frey and Don Henley

Fighting off rabid hampsters. Not a bad image, actually.

[zekeson]

16. Has such a Spinal Tappish Ring, doesn't it --eom--

[gratuitous]

20. Well, there was the one night in Wichita . . .

Take it from me, only deal with people you know!

I really got worried when the lampshades started breathing . . .

[SpiralHawk]

10. I'm putting $2 on the gerbils...

Hey, if they can survive the idiocy of the Butt Thrill Brigade, they can best the Eagles.

[Spentastic]

11. These expansion team names have gone too far

Who's their QB?

[arwalden]

13. What Are Giant Gerbils Doing In Switzerland Anyway

.

[Snellius]

14. On top of old smokey

On top of old smokey
All covered with grass
I saw a bald eagle
Ascratching his -
Ask me no questions
I'll tell you no lies
I saw a bald eagle
Ascratching is gerbils.

[DarkPhenyx]

15. The Hampster Liberation Front

will marshal our forces and go to the aid of our oppressed Asian Brothers and Sisters! Long live the resistance!

[AWD]

21. Wow

I think the Eagles have enough trouble with the Buccaneers...now they are battling Giant Gerbils??

Where do the Gerbils play their home games? Are they the Grand Rapids Giant Gerbils??

[havocmom]

23. maybe the team from New Jersey ammended their name?

Yeah, I thought football too. Giant gerbils... hmmmm anybody have a link to that site with the angry gerbil spouting off in a bar?

Capybaras rock! Enormous guinne pigs from the looks of them. I recall 20 years or so ago, some Marines at Pendelton reported seeing a 60-90 pound rat while out on training in the hills. Figured someone set a cute baby capybara free when it got big and not so cute.

And don't assume the gerbils are a sure bet. Eagles are pretty resourceful. Don't count them out in the battle. Some of us here in Tiny Town have seen eagles work in tandem to wear down and kill full grown antelope! Amazing critters.

[ze_dscherman]

28. Gerbil bar link

http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/af/content/joe19

More sick (gerbil) animations by joecartoon: http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/af/spotlight/collections/joecartoon/

[ze_dscherman]

22. Gerbil fighting piranhas

Be warned, crude shockwave animation, but VERY funny if you like sick humour:

Gerbil Fishing: http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/af/content/atom_305

SCNR

On edit: Some advertisement as well ...

[GregW]

24. Richard Gere breathes a sigh of relief

:eyes:

[davidinalameda]

26. this is a joke right?

or is this the plot for some B monster movie

Giant gerbils? How giant can they be? LOL

:bounce:

[On the Road]

29. They are 16 Inches Long

according to the Yahoo article. Pretty big for a gerbil.

[sprockets]

30. Typo, they're actually 16 Feet long (picture)

[Aaron]

35. lol! Nice pic :) (n/t)

[alfredo]

32. If traveling to the Grand Canyon, be prepared

for a big surprise.

[SaintLouisBlues]

33. Rodents Of Unusual Size

I don't think they exist.

[catzies]

37. And the winner of "Best gratuitous movie reference in this thread" goes to

SaintLouisBlues! :hi:

[SaintLouisBlues]

39. Thanks catzies!

N/T

[DeathvadeR]

38. Sounds like a godzilla movie. n/t