Rattus rattus

1 Black Rat at Kambah, ACT

Rattus rattus at Kambah, ACT - 3 Jan 2024
Rattus rattus at Kambah, ACT - 3 Jan 2024
Rattus rattus at Kambah, ACT - 3 Jan 2024
Rattus rattus at Kambah, ACT - 3 Jan 2024
Rattus rattus at Kambah, ACT - 3 Jan 2024
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Identification history

Rattus rattus 4 Jan 2024 DonFletcher
Rattus rattus 3 Jan 2024 CarbonAI
Unidentified 3 Jan 2024 stickatek

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User's notes

Went to clean the pool this morning and found this little one sitting on the pool hose. While I was taking photos, two other smaller ones came out to snack on grass seeds nearby and appeared to be hanging around. They came quite close to me before moving away when I got within a metre. Was able to retrieve the one from the pool (which was quite a good swimmer!) after a few attempts and it ran off into the garden. Not sure what kind of mouse/rat they are and whether to be excited or worried about a plague!

2 comments

DonFletcher wrote:
   4 Jan 2024
The Ship/Roof/Black Rat, (Rattus rattus) introduced from Europe is likely to be present in most Canberra suburban blocks.

Rats seen out in daylight are usually dying from anticoagulant toxins. They should be humanely killed so the carcass can be put where other animals cannot eat it. Attempts to poison rats or mice using most of the baits sold in every supermarket are killing owls and other birds that feed on the dead or dying rodents. 2nd generation anticoagulants such as Brodifacoum have proved deadly for birds. 1st generation anticoagulants such as Warfarin are less dangerous but have not been given a full 'all clear'.
stickatek wrote:
   4 Jan 2024
Thanks Don, will try and trap and dispose of. We have dogs at home, so don’t use baits so maybe from another house nearby.

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Nearby sightings

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 3 Abundance
  • 3 Jan 2024 10:07 AM Recorded on
  • stickatek Recorded by

Additional information

  • Unknown Gender
  • Alive / healthy Animal health

Species information

  • Rattus rattus Scientific name
  • Black Rat Common name
  • Not Sensitive
  • Exotic
  • Non-invasive or negligible
  • Up to 1019.83m Recorded at altitude
  • 116 images trained Machine learning
  • External link More information

Record quality

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  • More than one media file
  • Verified by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
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