Rat (Rattus norvegicus) at Kodiak Airport

Kelly Krueger writes,

Spotted a rat at the Kodiak Airport while doing intertidal surveys on Thursday, June 22, 2017. The rat came out from the airport riprap and was scurrying in the sand before returning to the riprap. This was unusual because I have never spotted a rat at the beach near the airport.

LEO says:

The Norway rat can breed throughout the year if conditions are suitable, and a female can produce up to twelve litters in a year. The gestation period is only 21 days, and litters can number up to fourteen, although smaller litters are more common. Therefore, rat populations can grow very quickly. Rats have a maximum lifespan of about three years but typically live less than one year. (Alaska Department of Fish & Game)

Resources:

Where The Rats Are – In environments lacking humans or human foods, brown rats prefer damp environments such as river banks, coastlines, and wetlands. However, most are found associated with human-made environments, such as warehouses, ships, and sewage or stormwater systems.
Alaska Department of Fish & Game)