Thryonomys swinderianus
Silhouette: Kyle Finn · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The greater cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus), also known as the grasscutter (in Ghana, Nigeria and other regions of West Africa), is one of two species of cane rats, a small family of African hystricognath rodents. It lives by reed-beds and riverbanks in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Greater cane rats can measure in head-and-body length from 43 to 60 cm (17 to 24 in) with the tail measuring 16 to 19.5 cm (6.3 to 7.7 in). Typical weight is 3.2 to 5.2 kg (7.1 to 11.5 lb), in males averaging some 4.5 kg (9.9 lb), and females at 3.4 to 3.8 kg (7.5 to 8.4 lb). In some cases, greater cane rats can weigh to approximately 7 to 9 kg (15 to 20 lb). They are considered one of the largest rodents in Africa, behind only the Hystrix porcupines. It has rounded ears, a short nose, and coarse bristly hair. Its forefeet are smaller than its hind feet, each with three toes.
Cane rats are largely independent and they live in vaguely linked groups. Foraging is done alone. They are nocturnal and make nests from grasses or burrow underground. The typically reside near bodies of water, reed-beds, and thick vegetation. Individuals of the species may live in excess of four years. If... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pretoria | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Cane Rat sighting in Kruger National Park on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 51st most-seen of the 60 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July to October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Cane Rat in Kruger National Park on a given day, against under 5% in November to June, the lowest months. Those are among Kruger National Park's driest months, with about 15 mm of rain a month against 110 mm in February.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Greater Cane Rat sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Only Kruger National Park, in our data
Kruger National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Greater Cane Rat sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same order: Rodentia
The closest relatives of the Greater Cane Rat that you can see in Kruger National Park (order Rodentia, Rodents) are Smith's Bush Squirrel (about 40%), Cape Porcupine (about 10%) and Springhare (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Greater Cane Rat is recorded against all the mammals logged in Kruger National Park (10 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
