massive rat found in Johannesburg residence

A widely circulated image claiming to show a “giant rat” is actually the result of a photography technique designed to make the animal appear larger than it is.

The text accompanying the photo suggests the rat was found in Tooting, south London, stating: “They are back in Tooting, the Giant rats.”

The image depicts a man holding what looks like a dead rat with a litter picker. Due to the rat being positioned closer to the camera, it appears to be about half the man’s size.

This effect is created using a technique called “forced perspective,” an optical illusion that makes objects appear bigger or smaller, or closer or farther away, by manipulating the camera’s angle and positioning.

Rumors of giant rats in Tooting have circulated before, so this isn’t the first time such a prank has made the rounds.

This is a three year old photo of a man in Tooting, London, carrying a rat with a litter picker. The litter picker is pointed directly forward, making the rat appear to be larger than it actually is because it is closer to the camera than the man is.