Black rat found in Jyväskylä, first in Finland in decades

A black rat, a species long extinct in Europe, was caught in a trap in Jyväskylä this spring, according to a report by Finnish broadcaster Yle.

The rodent was discovered in the premises of a company importing goods from the Middle East. Pest control company Anticimex’s sales manager Timo Kääriäinen said the find was unusual.

“We thought the animal looked strange. It had a long tail, different coloring, and a differently shaped snout. So we sent it for further examination,” Kääriäinen said.

Emeritus professor of wildlife biology Heikki Henttonen identified the specimen after examining its skull and other physical traits. DNA testing at the University of Oulu later confirmed it was a black rat.

“My hands were almost shaking with excitement,” Henttonen said. The animal was an old male, nearing the end of its life based on its teeth.

Native to the Indian subcontinent, the black rat was last seen in Europe in the early 20th century, though isolated sightings have been reported since. Unlike its name suggests, the species is often brown. It is smaller and more agile than the common brown rat, with a long black tail.

Historically, the black rat is infamous for spreading the Black Death in medieval times.

Henttonen said the species is unlikely to re-establish in Finland due to the cold winters and competition from brown rats. The two species do not interbreed, eliminating concerns of a hybrid “super rat.”

He added that he does not expect more black rats to be found in Finland.