Black Rat - Rattus rattus
The black rat is originally from India, arriving here with the Romans 2,000 years ago in ships and crates of cargo.
Fleas on black rats brought the plague to Europe in the Middle Ages, when they came with the last Crusaders returning from the Holy Land in 1348. The Black Death killed three million people in England - over half the population at that time.
They live in packs of 20 - 60 and eat mainly plant matter such as seeds and fruits. They are primarily nocturnal and very agile, climbing ropes and brickwork and gnawing their way into wooden buildings. They are also very good swimmers.
Black Rats are now scarce in Britain, confined mainly to ports or coastal towns where they forage in disused buildings and warehouses.
British Distribution
| Origin: | Introduced |
| Size: | Smaller than the brown rat. Body length: 12 - 24 cm; tail longer than body at 14 - 26 cm. |
| Description: | Slightly built with long pointed face and large, almost hairless, ears. The coat may be a wide range of colours, but always has long guard hairs standing out from the under-fur. Feet are whitish or pink. |
| Habitat: | Largely confined to main ports and coastal towns, where they forage inside warehouses and disused buildings, making it easy to control. |
| Young: | 3 - 5 litters between March and November, each with 6 - 7 young, which mature within 4 months. |
| Nest: | Built above ground, in cavity walls, in between rafters or even in hollow trees. |
| Diet: | Primarily vegetarian. Food is not stored, but it is taken to a safe place to be eaten. |
| Population: | Pre-breeding season estimated to be 1,300. |
|
Print this page |
| © British Wildlife Centre www.britishwildlifecentre.co.uk | |
