© MARK CLIFFORD/ BARCROFT MEDIA LTD
Hilarious pictures show the incredible Radical Rodents – real mice who can surf the ocean on tiny scaled-down surf boards.
For full story and pictures:One image shows daring Peanut arcing across a rolling wave while Skidmark actually races along tucked inside a ‘barrel wave’ – just like a pro.
© MARK CLIFFORD/ BARCROFT MEDIA LTD
Boat builder Shane Wilmott, 39, hand crafts miniature mouse-sized replicas of real surf boards and teaches his amazing troupe of pet mice how to master them – on tiny wavelets near to shore.
© MARK CLIFFORD/ BARCROFT MEDIA LTD
Side-splitting video also shows the images are no camera trick – with the amazing creatures travelling several metres on their little boards. They are even able to turn on the boards while travelling by shifting their weight.
© MARK CLIFFORD/ BARCROFT MEDIA LTD
Aussie mouse lover Shane, who breeds mice in his Gold Coast home, said: “Contrary to popular belief mice are actually unbelievable swimmers so if they come off they are fine to paddle around until I collect them.
“A lot of people ask me if fish are sharks to them and worry they might get eaten. Gulls are actually a more realistic threat so I have to stay close by to make sure my guys are safe.
© MARK CLIFFORD/ BARCROFT MEDIA LTD
“But I made a promise to myself that if one of my mice gets hurt I will stop. I only do it because I feel they are safe. These guys aren’t just my pets, they’re my mates too so I care about them a lot.
“It’s a really stimulating way for them to live. Much more than just being stuck in a cage all their lives.”
© MARK CLIFFORD/ BARCROFT MEDIA LTD
Shane taught his first mice to surf 25 years ago when he was a teenager.
“Me and a few mates were hanging out at the beach and watching these perfect little waves form close to shore.
© MARK CLIFFORD/ BARCROFT MEDIA LTD
“I remember wishing I was small so that I could have a go on these perfect specimens and then it hit me that a mouse on a tiny board could.”
Shane recently had the urge to redevelop the boards and using his boat building skills now makes the best miniature surf boards in the world.
The surfing mice even have their own beach hut © MARK CLIFFORD / BARCROFT MEDIA
He has since taught eight-month-old males Rocket, Peanut, Skidmark and Banzai all the skills they need to manoeuvre on breakers at the beach.
He said: “I teach them how to do it in the bath at first so they can get used to their custom made boards.
“Once they’ve got some confidence we move out to the pool in my back yard and tow them using a remote controlled boat.
“That gets them very proficient travelling at the speed of the little waves at the beach and then they are ready to do it for real. While Shane and his boys are out on the waves, huge crowds gather in amazement.
“People can’t believe it,” added Shane. “They see the tiny boards but they don’t realise there are real mice actually riding the waves until they come over for a look.
“It really makes people smile.”
Words by Liam Miller
Related posts:
- Chicks Hatch Just In Time For Easter One to two day old chicks emerge from an Easter...
- The World Santa Curling Championship Here’s how Santa must spend his time the rest...
- The World Dog Surfing Championships These hilarious pictures show how radical pooches came together...
- Amazing 3D Designs From Style-Your-Door.Com A German firm is calling time on boring domestic...
- Meet The Real Socceroos As World Cup fever sweeps the globe these Down Under...
- Alligator Bus Service Piggy-backing a cheeky ride from Georgia the nine-foot alligator, Myrtle...
- American Tigers Support England In Waterlogged Paw-about As ferocious as Wayne Rooney on the pitch, Mukti and...
- Roadkill Artist Adam Morrigan TWO dead duckings scraped from under the wheels of...