Brown rat (also known as Norway rat or common rat)

Urban and suburban environments, sewers, basements, warehouses, and farm fields

Omnivorous scavenger; eats grains, seeds, fruit, meat, and human trash

Nocturnal, social creatures that live in hierarchical colonies; highly intelligent and excellent swimmers

Risk of spreading diseases like leptospirosis and hantavirus; can cause structural damage through gnawing. In ecosystems, they serve as prey for various predators.