![]() Some species like the Kangaroo Rat and jumping mice have specialized hind legs for hopping.ĭid you know? Norway rats aren’t actually from Norway and are thought to have originated in central Asia.īecause they are gnawers, mice and rats can cause damage to buildings, especially when they chew through insulation and wiring. Wild mouse and rat species vary in color from pale yellow to dark brown they have large ears and eyes and long tails. The Norway or Brown Rat, as its name suggests, is brown with lighter underparts and a shorter tail while Black Rats are darker in color all over with slender bodies, pointed muzzles and tails that are longer than their bodies. Domestic strains of House Mice are predominantly white with black or gray markings. The House Mouse ranges in color from light brown to black, usually with lighter underparts. Their dispersal coincides with the construction of houses and barns, the development of agriculture, and the beginning of ship travel.ĭid you know? Rats and mice are the most abundant mammals on the planet. The spread of these “old world” mice and rats is directly linked to human development and movement. It contains over 700 species naturally found in Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. All three of these species are in the family Muridae, which is the largest family of rodents and mammals in the world. The most common mice and rats and the species that cause the most damage are the non-native House Mouse (Mus musculus), Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) and Black or Roof Rat (Rattus rattus). Washington is home to 12 of these species including, nine native species: Great Basin Pocket Mouse, Kangaroo Rat, Western and Pacific Jumping Mice, Bushy-tailed Woodrat, Northern Grasshopper Mouse, Deer Mouse, Keen’s Mouse and the Western Harvest Mouse and three non-native or introduced species: House Mouse, Norway Rat and Black Rat. There are over 70 species of mice and rats widely distributed across North America. But there are also wild species of mice and rats scampering around the forests and plains of North America that steer clear of humans. Fossil records place evidence of House Mice in a Neolithic Turkish community more than 8,000 years ago. Known as commensal, some species of mice and rats have a long history of living close to people. Mice and rats are well-known rodents people usually associate with cities.
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