Don Linzey & Christy Brecht
Wytheville Community College
Wytheville, Virginia 24382
Last updated: 26 November, 2005
- Adult total length:
12 1/2 - 16 1/2 in. (325 - 425 mm)
7 1/2 - 9 1/2 in. (190 - 240 mm)
- Hind foot:
1 3/8 - 1 1/2 in. (35 - 38 mm)
5 - 10 oz. (140 - 280 g)
The black rat is a medium-sized, slender brownish-or grayish-black rat with
coarse fur and a long, sparsely haired, scaly tail. The tail is longer (
approximately 110 percent) than the combined length of the head and body. This
feature serves as a key identification character in differentiating this species
from the Norway rat. The underparts are grayish-white.
left lateral view of
skull and mandible
dorsal view of skull
ventral view of skull
The black rat is a non-native (exotic) species that is thought to have arrived in North America in the
mid-1500's on the ships of early European explorers. It is native to Asia Minor and the Orient (Walker, 1964). The black rat is found primarily around human habitatations, mainly in coastal
areas from Massachusetts to British Columbia and throughout much of Mexico. It is abundant in the
southeastern United States, particularly in seaports.
||Mice, Rats, etc.
||Murid Rats and Mice
The black rat is found primarily around human habitations such as barns, warehouses, and buildings in
urban residential areas. It is a very agile climber. In areas where both Norway rats and black rats
are present, the more aggressive Norway rat forces the black rat to live in the upper portions of
buildings and in trees. Where Norway rats are absent, black rats will apparently burrow under buildings
in the same manner as the former species.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
This species was reported to be abundant around barns in Greenbrier by
Komarek and Komarek (1938), but it is now an uncommon
resident of the park.
- Sevier Co.:
Park headquarters; Little River near Metcalf Bottoms (1,800 feet);
Greenbrier (1,680 - 2,000 feet); Elkmont (2,150 feet); Mt. LeConte
- Swain Co.:
Smokemont (2,200 feet).
Black rats are prolific, but they produce smaller and fewer litters than the Norway rat.
After a gestation period of approximately 22 days, an average litter of about six young
are born. It has been estimated that each adult female produces approximately 40 young
per year (Linzey, 1998). In the park, breeding probably occurs
throughout the warmer months of the year.
Young black rats mature rapidly and are weaned when about three weeks old. They are able
to reproduce at approximately three months of age.
Wild individuals have been known to live for over a year, whereas captives have survived
for over four years (Linzey, 1998).
- Terrestrial Ecology
Black rats are active throughout the year and do not hibernate. They are mainly nocturnal.
Their sense of sight is poor and they are colorblind, but their senses of smell, taste,
touch, and hearing are excellent (Jackson, 1982). The black rat is less
aggressive than the Norway rat and is driven out of certain areas by its larger relative.
Black rats apparently live in a very restricted area. Stroud (1982)
reported an average home range of 0.19 ha. Jackson (1982) noted an
average home range radius of 50 m.
- Predators and Defense
Snakes, hawks, owls, and most carnivorous mammals are potential predators of black rats.
None recorded from the park.
Links to Other Sites
- Special Protection Status
- In Park:
All plants and animals are protected within Great Smoky Mountains
National Park. Collection requires a permit which is usually granted
only for research or educational purposes.
- Map development
- Web page design & coding
- Denise Lim, University of Georgia, Athens
- John Pickering, University of Georgia, Athens
Jackson, W. B. 1982.
Norway rat and allies. Pages 1077-1088. In: J. A. Chapman and G. A. Feldhamer
(eds.). Wild Mammals of North America. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins
Komarek, E.V. and R. Komarek. 1938.
Mammals of the Great Smoky Mountains. Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of
Sciences 5 (6): 137-162.
Linzey, D. W. 1995a.
Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Blacksburg, Virginia:
The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Inc.
Linzey, D. W. 1995b.
Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park-1995 Update. Journal of the
Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 111(1):1-81.
Linzey, D.W. 1998.
The Mammals of Virginia. Blacksburg, Virginia: The McDonald & Woodward
Publishing Company, Inc.
Stroud, D.C. 1982.
Population dynamics of Rattus rattus and R. norvegicus in a
riparian habitat. Journal of Mammalogy 63(1): 151-154.
Walker, E.P. 1964.
Mammals of the World. 3 volumes. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Last modified: 10 April, 2002