Endangerment and Conservation
Although predators like R. Fetus are often a threat to native species on islands, there is evidence that R. rattus is becoming endangered in Great Britain. Rattus rattus populations were common in Great Britain, but began to decline after the introduction of the brown rat in the eighteenth century. R. rattus populations remained common in seaports and major cities until the late nineteenth century but have been decreased due to rodent control and sanitation measures. There are currently two natural populations of R. rattus left, one on Lundy Island and one in the Shiant Islands of Great Britain. Although rats pose a threat to native seabird species and their eggs, seabird populations have remained stable and large, and therefore control options for R. rattus have not been used.
Read more about this topic: Black Rat
Famous quotes containing the word conservation:
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