Black rat / ship rat

Kauaʻi evidence

Management plans document rats on Kauaʻi; site-level species confirmation remains part of monitoring.

Names and classification

Scientific name

Rattus rattus

Common names

Black rat / ship rat

Record type

species

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence

Confirmed on Kauaʻi

Origin

Introduced

Conservation status

Not listed

Evidence date

2026-09-13

Evidence limits

Uncertainty is retained at site, abundance, and trend levels.

Habitat and ecology

Habitats

forest canopy · farms · settlements · coast

Food and resource needs

fruit · seeds · invertebrates · eggs · chicks

Reproduction

sheltered nests

Shelter

trees · structures · dense vegetation

Threats and conservation

Threats

predation · seed predation · disease · competition

Conservation actions

landscape rat control · exclosures · biosecurity

Monitoring

tracking tunnels · trap catch · camera traps

Data gaps

Site-scale abundance and trend coverage remains uneven.

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal timing

Established

Seasonal description

Kauaʻi status: Confirmed on Kauaʻi. Ecological relationships include forest birds, plant recruitment, and invasive-predator control.

Sources and further reading

• https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/files/2013/02/NPK_FINAL_small-file.pdf
• https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/kauai/learn/