# Brown Rat

*Rattus norvegicus*

A brown rat's incisors grow continuously throughout its life, up to five inches per year, forcing them to constantly gnaw on hard surfaces to wear them down.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Rodentia › Muridae › Rattus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** increasing
- **Biome:** urban
- **Habitat:** Highly adaptable, primarily found in urban environments, sewers, basements, agricultural fields, and near watercourses.
- **Diet:** Omnivorous scavenger, consuming grains, seeds, human food waste, small invertebrates, and carrion.
- **Range:** Worldwide (except Antarctica)
- **Size:** Body length 20-28 cm, tail length 17-23 cm, weight 150-500 grams.
- **Lifespan:** 1 to 2 years in the wild
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Rodenticides, traps, domestic predators (cats and dogs), and birds of prey.
- **Safe to approach?:** Generally defensive; they will flee unless cornered or handled. Do not attempt to touch or catch wild rats, as they can bite and carry pathogens. Maintain a safe distance. If bitten or scratched, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and warm water and seek medical attention immediately.

## About

The Brown rat ( Rattus norvegicus ), also referred to as the common rat , street rat , sewer rat , Hanover rat , Norway rat , Norwegian rat , or wharf rat is one of the best known and most common rats.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/460246ee-099b-487d-824d-5fd8abbdf7b0
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/44576
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattus norvegicus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/1937464/medium.jpg (Martin Cooper, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.