Giant rats once ruled the Earth, as big as buffaloes.

Josephoartigasia – the “giant” in the rodent world – has a terrifying size but a gentle nature, with no enemies.

The largest rodent that ever lived, Josephoartigasia could weigh up to 1 ton, as big as a buffalo. Photo: Pinterest.

Lived in South America about 2–3 million years ago. Their fossils were found in Uruguay, dating back to the late Pliocene. Photo: Pinterest.

Closely related to the capybara. Josephoartigasia is a distant relative of the capybara — the largest rodent alive today. Photo: Pinterest.

giant front teeth. Two incisors are nearly 30 cm long, helping them to tear branches or defend themselves against enemies. Photo: natgeofe.com.

Lived near rivers and lakes. Like today's capybaras, Josephoartigasia probably preferred wet environments and could swim. Photo: researchgate.net.

Completely vegetarian. Their diet consists mainly of grass, leaves and bark. Photo: ytimg.com.

They had virtually no natural enemies. Their enormous size helped them avoid most of the predators of the time. Photo: ytimg.com.

The species name honors Joseph Artigas, a national hero of Uruguay, after whom the giant rat's scientific name is taken. Photo: futurecdn.net.

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