The Rattus rattus, also known as the Black Rat, is a very captivating creature and one of the oldest species of rats alive today.

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The Black rat is one of a kind in many ways.  First, its coloration; although it is called the black rat, it is sometimes a brownish color and it has a light colored underside.  Sometimes these rats can have even a green tint to them.  Also, it is very large; an adult can grow up to eighteen inches long, with a six to ten inch tail.  Next, Black Rats have a pointy nose, large eyes and ears, and the tail is longer than the rest of the body usually.  Lastly, it has its dark brown or black hair to blend in with its surroundings.

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You can find this special rat mainly in European countries like Sweden and India; also Northern Africa.  They like to build their nests in warm places like barns or upper levels of buildings.  This animal is nocturnal so it hides out all day in that warm place and then it only comes out to find food or a mating partner.   But once they find their partner, they go back to that warm place to mate.  Another name for this animal is the roof rat, because it likes to live high above the ground in small, closed in places that are very hidden.

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Most scientists are not concerned about this animal because on the IUCN Chart, the Black Rat is rated a LC, which means Least Concern.  The size of the Black Rat population is very large; there is approximately three billion black rat species on the planet.  That is just an estimate because the rats are always moving so they cannot get an exact number.  The population of this rat isn’t growing or shrinking, it is at a stable pace.  It is staying the same because pregnant rats take about ten to twelve months conceive their young and the average rat lives to be about twelve to sixteen months.  So they basically are dying at the same rate they are being born. 

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Lastly, their diet and feeding habits; the Black Rat eats mostly sweet fruits and grains.  In the food web they are very low because it has many predators.  Some of these predators are the common dog or cat, or even bigger things like lions, bears, bobcats, and many more.  They have so many predators because they are small but they cannot run as fast as mice.  Also, animals prefer rats over mice because they are bigger and Black Rats are large even for rats. 

Here are some riveting facts about the Black Rat.  First, they are one of the oldest species of rats that still exist.  Also, they once carried the Black Plague disease from South Asia.

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As a final point, the Rattus rattus, or the Black Rat, is a very interesting animal.  And I had a ton of fun researching about it.  Also, it has many exotic features that make it what it is today

 

Author: Maddy M.

Published: 2/2011

 

Sources:  National Pest Management Association et al.  www.petsworld.com/roof-rat   5/2009 

Alfred J. Bollet et al. /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_rat#Behavior   Wikimedia publishing 8/2006