Watch out for exploding dead swamp rats on Mississippi beaches

Just when storm-weary Mississippians thought it was safe to go out, in rolls a blizzard of dead, stinking, waterlogged swamp rats, also known as nutria. More than 15,000 of the bloated rodents, all casualties of Hurricane Isaac, have washed up on Magnolia State beaches. Cleaning up the rat morgue is a disgusting task, requiring workers to don hazmat suits and masks. If you're considering volunteering, keep in mind that the creatures' not-so-little bodies are apt to blow up and pop in the heat. And forget going for a swim — many beaches are closed as cleanup crews, which have already collected 16 tons of the dead animals, wait for more carcasses to float in from the Gulf of Mexico. [Source]

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