Avatar:Elephant rat

  

<infobox theme-source="nation"> <image source="image" /> <title source="name"><default>Elephant rat</default></title> <group> <header>General information</header> <label>Habitat</label> <label>Status</label> <label>Bending</label> <label>Uses</label> </group> <group> <header>Chronological information</header> <label>First appearance</label> <label>Last appearance</label> <label>Voiced by</label> </group> <header>Image gallery (0)</header> </infobox> The elephant rat is a small rodent found throughout the world. Typically residing in urban environments, the elephant rat frequently searches for food in old, dilapidated areas. Though fairly intelligent, the species is generally regarded as a pest and a carrier of disease.

History

In 296 BG, the Flying Opera Company hunted, cooked, and ate an elephant rat, as they lacked any other food supplies. At the time, Lek expressed his amazement that Kyoshi and Rangi had no problem eating the rodent, leading both to explain that they had eaten much worse previously.

In his early years before being frozen, Aang met a group of docile elephant rats at one of the air temples. Treating them nicely and occasionally feeding them, one of the animals even began to bring the young Avatar small gifts in return. These gifts were generally junk such as a torn, old piece of string, but Aang still appreciated the gesture.

During her time in a Fire Nation prison, Hama used elephant rats in her development and practice of bloodbending.

In 100 AG, Aang was imprisoned in Chin Village for Avatar Kyoshi's alleged murder of Chin the Conqueror. While in his jail cell, he saw an elephant rat grab an acorn on the ground before scampering off.

Anri, a performer of the Flying Koi Carnival, was always accompanied by a trained elephant rat called Lulu.

Anatomy

The elephant rat is a small-sized rodent, covered with a coat of coarse black or gray fur. It has a pink tail and white markings around its eyes alongside triangular and erect ears. However, its most striking feature is its long proboscis, which it uses to search for food. Though it moves on all fours, it is capable of rearing up on its hind legs and using its forelegs to grasp food.

Behavior

Elephant rats generally spend their time searching for morsels of food, often invading human spaces to do so. The species is quite unpopular due to its tendency to steal food such as grain from stores. Furthermore, elephant rats are often believed to carry diseases.

Conversely, they are quite intelligent to the extent of understanding reciprocity, and can be easily tamed. As a result of their intelligence, they can be trained to perform tricks.

Connection

The elephant rat is a hybrid based on the elephant and rat, though it also bears resemblance to the elephant shrew. Its size, body, and behavior are reminiscent of a rat, but its trunk is similar to that of an elephant.

Trivia

• The combination of an elephant and a rat to create this creature can be seen as ironic because of the myth that elephants are afraid of mice.
• Elephant rats were the first of three animals to ever be seen being bloodbent. The second and third animals were yaks and wolves, respectively.
• In 174 AG, Baatar Jr. claimed that Varrick was "crazier than a sewer pipe elephant rat".

See also

• Fauna in the World of Avatar