The East African vlei rat is a large rodent from upland grasslands and scrub in eastern and central Africa. It has shaggy fur, a relatively short tail, and feeds on green plants and shoots.
It is robust, with a large blunt head, long shaggy fur, and a relatively short tail. The back is dark brown, the flanks brown, and the underside slaty gray.
It lives in moist grassland, scrub, and forest clearings, and eats green grains, herbs, reed stems, and shoots. It is thought to be active by day or at dusk.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.