The Norway rat is a human-associated species, introduced to North America centuries ago, and Tennessee’s 121 combined records, 35 from iNaturalist and 86 from GBIF, mostly trace back to developed sites rather than wild forest. The state’s only named location, Cherokee National Forest with two records, most likely reflects rats around campgrounds, cabins, or maintenance buildings rather than the forest itself, this is a species that follows people and food waste wherever they settle.
No single month dominates the record count: February, April, May, and October each show the year’s highest tally, three sightings apiece, while November and December have none recorded at all. That flat, scattered pattern fits a species that’s active year-round around people, rather than one tied to a seasonal breeding pulse or migration.
Full species profile
