New Zealand Mammals

DSC_7045 Norway or brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) a litter of nine wild baby rats in the nest - they are less than a day old. This species 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 *

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DSC_7045 Norway or brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) a litter of nine wild baby rats in the nest - they are less than a day old. This species 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 *

DSC 7045 Norway rat female nursing young nest babies one day old New Zealand mammals rodent brown water pest rattus norvegicus feral introduced mammalian predator