11002-19217 Norway or brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) fleeing from tree weta. This is the largest rat found in New Zealand, mainly around waterways (coastal and freshwater), in towns and around farms. Norway rats are omnivorous and have a very broad and varied diet. They have been recorded eating seeds, fruits, leaves, lizards, insects, molluscs, crustaceans, the eggs and young of burrowing seabirds, stored grain, animal carcasses, garbage, and even sewage. This was the first European rodent to become established in New Zealand arriving in the 1770's *
11002-19215 Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) male swimming across an estuarine creek. Norway rats swim well, and may cross water channels up to 2.2 km wide. This is the largest rat found in New Zealand. It lives mainly around waterways (coastal and freshwater), in towns and around farms. Norway rats are omnivorous and have been recorded eating seeds, fruits, leaves, lizards, insects, molluscs, crustaceans, the eggs and young of burrowing seabirds, stored grain, animal carcasses, garbage, and even sewage *
11002-19109 Norway or brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) stealing bait from a bait station on Breaksea Island. They are excellent swimmers, and some of the most dramatic impacts of Norway rats have been seen on islands where they cause significant damage to seabird populations by eating eggs, chicks and occasionally adults *
