Specie's Page                                               Brown Rat - UK introduced species

Brown Rat:     UK Status: Resident, but non native to the UK, see below for details.

Distribution: This rat species is now found in most parts of the world, here in the UK it is commonly known as the Brown House Rat, or Sewer Rat. They are to be found way out in the wild, agricultural areas and in towns and cities. In fact they will adapt to any situation with an abundance of food.

Male & Female Body Length: Up to 28 centimetres, though bigger ones are recorded occasionally.

Food  Source: Anything edible, meat, poultry, seed, nuts and grain, and will on occasion kill small mammals and birds etc..

Similar Species: The Black Rat is similar, and a lot scarcer since the Great Plague centuries ago, they were hunted into extinction. It is rumoured that there are still a few small populations in the UK. Sometimes people mistake voles for rats, and visa versa.

Notes: Brown Rats were introduced to the British Isles during the late 1600's, and the early 1700's. Introduction of these rats was probably unintentional, they came in old ocean going sailing ships. They got on board these ships by climbing up the mooring ropes, and are thought to originate from Northern China. When encountered in the wild they are quite cute.