Black Rat

Beware- this cute face can fool you! This nasty little speck of dirt is the creature that was most likely the carrier of the black death, a plague that killed over 1/3 of the European country in the Middle Ages. It carried the plague through it's fleas, and spread off of ships to Europe. They originated in Asia, and once they landed in Europe, they spread to the whole world via cargo ships.


These rats now live all over the world, scavenging for whatever they can get at. They are omnivores, so it doesn't really matter to them what they eat. They mostly live off of fruits and nuts, like common tree squirrels. (If the whole world was available for eating and it was the trash can or berries and acorns, I think I'd choose the fruits and nuts too!)


Black rats are nocturnal. They are considered very poor swimmers compared to their cousin the brown rat, but are far better climbers than the brown rat. They have been known, when in danger, to flee upwards. Due to this ability, many rat nests are found in trees. The rat will hunt and nest in 2 different places, so that food never runs scarce.

Cats, owls, coyotes, weasels, and foxes all prey on the black rat.