DSC_8434 Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) ventral view of skull and lower jaw prepared by George Holley. Introduced rats are voracious predators of our native birds reptiles and insects *
DSC_7492 Ship rat (Rattus rattus) black male with koru (Lobelia physaloides) fruit 'cache'. The 'black' rat is one of the three colour forms of ship rat, with a bluish-black back merging to a slate-grey belly. Ship rats are the commonest rat in New Zealand, they reach their greatest abundance in lowland forests, and are found in all forest types. They are also found in parks, hedgerows, farmland, and buildings. Their climbing ability means that their habitat is three dimensional incorporating everything from the ground to the treetops. Trounson Kauri Forest, Northland *
