Rattus rattus
Black Rat at Hawker, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Rattus rattus | DonFletcher | 21 Mar 2026 | ||
| Unverified | WendyW | 21 Mar 2026 |
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User's notes
In the open, in our garden.
1 comment
21 Mar 2026
House occupants are rarely aware of them but the introduced Rattus rattus (Roof or Black Rat) is ubiquitous in the suburbs and is clearly the dominant small mammal. House Mice (Mus musculus) are also seen. Native Rakali (Hydromys chrysogaster) occur along creek lines but generally not close to houses. When baited with anticoagulant toxins, Roof Rats become moribund and diurnal. At that time householders and neighbours may easily see them in the garden. When moribund, or as fresh carcasses, the poisonned rodents are a danger to predatory birds including owls because birds are sensitive to the 'second generation' anticoagulants such as Brodifacoum. Consequently, it has recently been decided by the APVMA (national regulatory body) to ban these from commercial sale to householders.
Location information
- Coordinates 149.030890-35.248592
- Places Hawker, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 20 Mar 2026 09:09 AM Recorded on
- WendyW Recorded by
Collections
Species information
- Rattus rattus Scientific name
- Black Rat Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Exotic
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1019.83m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
3 / 7
- Images or audio
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Description
- More than one media file
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Additional attributes