The Black Rat Rattus rattus in the United Kingdom in 1989

The loss of ground by the Black Rat in the late 1950s continued through the next decade. Since then the number of site records has fluctuated and there has been less constancy in the places recording the presence of the rat. This impermanence of populations together with their small size suggests that introductions are short lived and that the species has only a tenuous foothold in the United Kingdom today. Port records show that rats are still arriving regularly by ship and it is suggested that future developments in climate and trade might further assist entry and make the environment more favourable for the Black Rat.