Getting To Know … THE POLYNESIAN RAT Drawing of Polynesian Rat. Acknowledgement: Picture taken from “A Field Guide to the Mammals of Borneo”, a publication of Sabah Society and World Wildlife Fund Malaysia. Our rapid urban development has changed the rodent distribution in Singapore. In the past the rodents caught were either the Norway Rat Polynesian Rat, with a damaged tail. (Rattus norvegicus) or the Roof rat (Rattus rattus diiardii). But today with our buildings encroaching into the nature reserves, we are trapping more of the third most common rodent in the The Polynesian rat has become more closely associated with Pacific region, the Polynesian rat(Rattus exulans). It is also humans due to its easy access to food. In the Pacific islands called the Pacific rat or to the Maori, Kiore. where it is resident, it is responsible for the extinction of native birds, insects and also deforestation, by eating the It is smaller and less aggressive than the Norway rat or the stems and nuts of local palms, thus preventing the re-growth Roof rat. With large round eyes, mounted on a pointed snout, of the forest. It has also been associated with the diseases its body is covered with black/brown hair, with a lighter grey leptospirosis and murine typhus. belly and comparatively small, pale feet. The body is thin (weighs up to 80 grams) and the adult measures up to 15 cm Being a poor swimmer, its distribution to the Pacific islands (6 inches) from nose to the base of the tail. The tail is about was helped by the fact that it is considered a delicacy. Its the same length as the body. Its most distinctive features are a average total life span is up to 15 months that is if it is not dark line on the hind leg just above the ankle and a dark scale- caught and eaten before then. ringed tail. So the next rat you see in Singapore may well be the It is nocturnal and omnivorous. In plantations it is considered Polynesian rat. to be a major agricultural pest. In Hawaii electric fences and physical barriers are used in experimental farms for its control, a technique that is considered unsuitable in Singapore. The male is solitary and associates with the female only for mating. The female has 8 nipples, compared to the 10 and 12 normally found on Roof rats and Norway rats, respectively. Like the Roof rat, it is arboreal (i.e. nesting on trees), while the Norway rat tends to stay in burrows on the ground. Compared to the other 2 species, which has a home range of about 35 metres from its sighted location, the Polynesian rat’s home range is about 50 metres, meaning that it is more adventurous. Distinguishing features of the Polynesian Rat. Acknowledgement: Picture taken off the internet - “The Firefly Forest” by T Beth Kinsey. Aardwolf Pestkare (Singapore) Pte Ltd 26 Third Lok Yang Road, Singapore 628015 T 6268 1771 F 6265 1551 PG 6 Company Reg No: 199700791R E [email protected] W www.aardwolfpestkare.com .