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What rodent meat costs, in some countries, more than pork, chicken or beef? No guesses? Well, I’m going to tell you all about the Akrantee or the grasscutter. It is a bush rat which lives in dense grasses and is being hunted to scarcity because of its delicious meat. Native to West Africa, in countries such as Ghana and Nigeria, the grasscutter ranges from about a foot to two feet in length .The male weighs more than the female and can grow as heavy as 6 or 7 pounds. These rodents have rounded noses, short ears and long incisors. Their coats are brown in color though their stomach hair may be gray. They have front feet which are smaller than their hind feet. When afraid, they stomp these hind feet before running for cover. These creatures are nocturnal and live in nests or burrows. They feed mostly on grasses, fruits and nuts. The female produces two litters a year. The grasscutter is getting difficult to find in the wild has it has become over-hunted. There have been attempts to cultivate these rodents, but the wild bush rat’s meat is far tastier. Some restaurants even offer bush meat as its most important menu item.
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