Where does the brown rat live?
The brown rat is thought to have originated in northern China and neighbouring areas. It has now spread to all continents except Antarctica, and is the dominant rat in Europe and much of North America. With rare exceptions, it lives wherever humans live, particularly in urban areas. It is also called the common rat, sewer rat or Norway rat.
What does the brown rat eat?
The brown rat is omnivorous, and reproduces rapidly. It is one of the largest muroids: a brown or grey rodent measuring 15 to 28 cm, with a slightly shorter tail, and weighing 140 to 500 g. It can weigh twice as much as the black rat. It can be a vector for several human diseases.
Is the brown rat endangered?
No: the IUCN lists it as Least Concern. Studies of wild rats in New York City show that populations in different neighbourhoods can evolve distinct genomic profiles over time. Selective breeding of the brown rat has produced the pet fancy rat and the laboratory rat.
