Rodents abroad and while traveling: are they dangerous, where do you encounter them, where can you see them?

What is a rodent? 

• Rodents form a large group of mammals consisting primarily of herbivores with well-developed incisors.
• Mice, rats, guinea pigs, beavers, squirrels, and porcupines are among the animals counted as rodents.
• Rabbits and hares are sometimes mistakenly referred to as rodents.

Are rodents dangerous?

• Rodents are prey animals and therefore naturally wary of predators, including humans. They generally only pose a danger if you try to catch them; their well-developed incisors can penetrate deep into the skin. 
• Various rodent species transmit diseases—most notably rats. Transmission usually occurs not through bites but primarily via fleas and ticks that live on the rodents and transfer to humans. Weil's disease is an example of a bacterial infection that can be contracted, for instance, by swimming in water where infected rats have also been.

Where can you see rodents while traveling abroad?

• Rats and mice can be found almost anywhere in the world.
• For tourists and travelers, the large rodents of South America are particularly interesting: the capybara (found in places like Suriname, Brazil, and Paraguay) and the mara (Argentina). Spotting the various species of marmots that inhabit mountainous regions of the Northern Hemisphere, as well as the many types of squirrels and flying squirrels, delights many nature enthusiasts.
• Porcupines also capture the imagination, but their nocturnal lifestyle makes them difficult to spot, even though they are found in many areas across South America, Africa, and Asia.
• On the menu: in Peru specifically, the guinea pig is a rodent that can be ordered as a dish in restaurants. Many rodents are also available locally as bushmeat.

Where can you work, volunteer, or do an internship involving rodents abroad?

• Counting and observing rodents via cameras or camera traps offers an opportunity to work with various rodent species abroad as a research intern or volunteer.
• Biomedical and medical research still frequently involves studies using mice and rats, which you might encounter as an intern.
• Animal rescue centers—particularly in South America—provide care for weakened or injured large rodents, such as capybaras.