Cane Rat – A Cameroonian Delicacy, Race to Drill Lake Vostok
This week: Remember the story on cane rats we promised you in our 100th episode? You’ll hear that story this week. And for our more adventurous audience, we also have cane rat recipes in our show notes. Also, news about a human trial for malaria vaccine by U.S. army researchers. An update on Russian scientists racing to drill a lost Antarctic Lakes. Don’t forget to stop by our ongoing discussion about ways to make cities and countries corruption- and earthquake-proof. Geophysicist Roger Bilham is taking your questions in our Science Forum until Wednesday, January 26th.
Cane Rats As Delicacy: In parts of Africa, giant rats — called cane rats — are considered a delicacy. The animals are usually hunted in the forest, but in Cameroon the government is promoting cane rat husbandry to provide income to small farmers and to reduce hunting pressure on wildlife.
Report by: Jori Lewis
Read Jori’s story here.
Recipes
- Stewed Cane Rat: (from Bert Christensen’s Weird & Different Recipes)
Skin and eviscerate the rat and split it lengthwise. Fry until brown in a mixture of butter and peanut oil. Cover with water, add tomatoes or tomato purée, hot red peppers, and salt. Simmer the rat until tender and serve with rice. - Rats in the Mood: (from CongoCookbook.com)
Place a dozen smoked rats (the small field-rat type) in fresh water and soak for 30 minutes. Prepare a sauce of tomato, onion, piment and palm oil in a large skillet. Drain the rats and remove skin and other inedible portions. Fry for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally until well-cooked. A true connoisseur eats them piping hot, bone and all!!!
Serving tips: Usually offered as an hors-d’ouvre, they also are delightful arranged on a platter of carrots, lettuce, and cauliflower. Or just slide them on a hot dog bun.
U.S. Army Studies Malaria Vaccines: Malaria plagues the developing world. But, some Americans have signed up as volunteers to help scientists develop a vaccine for the disease. They’re being infected with malaria as part of a U.S. Army study of an experimental malaria vaccine.
Report by: Eric Niiler
Prefer to read the story? Click here.
Scientists Drilling Lost Antarctic Lake: Russian polar researchers may be on the verge of a major polar discovery in Antarctica. They’re drilling through a massive ice sheet there, looking for a lost freshwater lake. The lake’s called Vostok and it’s about 2 miles beneath the surface of the ice. Scientists drilling through it think they may be only 100 feet away from the lake. Will they make it before the approaching winter makes it too cold to drill?
Guest: Robin Bell, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University.
Race Against Time For Raiders of the Lost Lake, story on Nature news.
