Polynesian rat

The Polynesian rat or rat of the Pacific or Ratus exulans , in maori kiore , is the third most widespread species of rat in the world after the brown rat and the black rat. The Polynesian rat is originating in the Southeast Asia but knew a major expansion like his/her cousins while being present on the majority of the islands of Polynésie, in New Zealand, in the islands Fiji and even with Hawaii. It is able to adapt to multiple environments, alive in the meadows but also in the Forêt S. Its lifestyle is him also similar to that of the other rats, alive in the vicinities of human to which it has an easy access to food. It is of this fact considered as the the harmful Organization most important in its surface of distribution.

Lifestyle

The Polynesian rats are night like the majority of the rodent , they can climb with the trees where they often nidifient. In winter, when food is done rare, it is current that they are satisfied to corrode the bark trees and to eat the stems of the plants to nourish itself. Their mode of reproduction is similar to that of the others rats : cyclic heats and period of Gestation from 21 to 24 days. The size of the carried (from 6 to 11 small) is function of the quantity of food disponible ; the weaning takes place at the end of one month. The single difference is that procreation, being limited to spring and the summer, does not take place all the year.

Physical characteristics

The Polynesian rat has an appearance similar to that of the other common rats. It has large round ears, a pointed muzzle, a black-brown peeling but comparatively of smaller legs. Its body is long and fine, reaching 15,2 centimetres length of the muzzle at the base of the tail what makes it slightly smaller than the other rats associated with the human ones. In the small islands where they are present, they tend to have a reduced size (11,5 cm). One generally distinguishes it by a dark band from peeling present on the upper part of their posterior legs, near ankle, the remainder of his legs is paler.

Food mode

The Polynesian rat is a species Omnivore nourishing Graine S, of Fruit S, Feuille S, Larve S of Insectes, of worms of ground, spiders, Lézard S, eggs of Oiseau X and let us oisillons. One could observe Polynesian rats carry food requiring to be prepared in sure place in order to be able to eat it in all peace, for example seeds having to be shelled. That protects them not only from the others Prédateur S but also from the rain and the their congeneric ones. These “zones of examination” are often located on the trees, close to the roots, in the cracks of the trunk or sometimes even on the summit branches.

Localization

The Polynesian rat is present in the Pacifique and in Southeast Asia. Not being able to swim on long distances, its presence on many isolated islands is regarded as a marker of the human migrations in the Pacific, the Polynesian migrants having intentionally or accidentally introduced it on the islands which they colonized. The species was implied in the extinction of many species of birds and endemic insects which had developed in the absence of mammals and were unable to adapt to their predation.

Remainders of these rats gone back to 2000 years were found in New Zealand, this figure nevertheless is discussed, One suggested that they had been brought by migrants not having succeeded in colonizing the island.

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