depscribe's photos with the keyword: hutia

This banana rat has evolved a liking for root beer. Guantanamo residents dislike the hutia, because they gnaw on everything, most especially the rubber parts of car engines -- hard to replace on the island outpost. On the other side of the minefield, hutia are popular food items.

The "banana rat," or hutia, isn't technically a rat. It got its name because its droppings -- which it eats; as with some other rodents and related creatures, hutia don't absorb some nutrients until the second time through -- are banana shaped. This one was kept as a pet by the base veterinarian. Army Capt. Bruce Williams.