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Hunan Province is being over-run by rats since a lake there was enlarged. Another problem in the Province is a lack of snakes and owls to kill the vermin. Snakes are a very popular food and owls are used in traditional Chinese medicine.

There is also the huge Three Gorges Dam project and climate changes that scientists are blaming for these rats being displaced and moving to dry land.

The rats have destroyed 6,200 square miles of crops and it is feared that they will bring disease to the people.

Now some enterprising people are selling the live rats to upscale restaurants in Guangzhou where diners supposedly "eat anything that moves.".

One seller explained: "Recently there have been a lot of rats. Guangzhou people are rich and like to eat exotic things, so business is very good."

Another added: "The buyers offered 35p for a kilo, but as to where they will sell the rats, they would not say."

There are restaurants in Guangdong that are having "rat banquets" and the diners are paying about $18 for a couple pounds of rat meat. The restaurants say their rats are not from Hunan though.