Norway rats are an introduced commensal species in West Virginia, and NatureServe’s SNA rank, not applicable, reflects that introduced species don’t receive a state conservation status. Every one of the 30 records comes through iNaturalist, meaning casual sightings near buildings and disturbed ground, not trapping surveys, drive what’s documented here.
Records show two matched peaks, March and November, seven sightings each, bracketing a complete summer silence: July through September show zero records, an unusual gap for a species that breeds year-round and one that likely reflects reduced observer attention during those months rather than any real pause in rat activity.
Full species profile
