CIBED - - Ship Rat - Kiore Toka RR

Rattus rattus Ship Rat Kiore Toka ^RR

f.MURIDAE Rats & Mice

Rattus rattus Ship Rat Kiore Toka ^RR

f.MURIDAE Rats & Mice

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesShip Rat ^EN Black Rat ^EN House Rat ^EN Roof Rat ^EN Hausratte ^DE

Local NamesKiore Toka^RR Kiore^MG,MK,MT,TNw Kiore Pāniora^MK P,?N^PL Kiole^TNs

Pacific Names‘Iole / ‘Iole-nui ^HAW

Sci. NamesRattus rattus (accepted name)

High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Vertebrates, c.Mammals, f.Rats & Mice - Mammal

High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.CHORDATA, sp.GNATHOSTOMATA, spc.TETRAPODA, c.MAMMALIA, sc.THERIA, ic.EUTHERIA, o.Rodentia, f.MURIDAE

Natl. PresencePresent

Sth. PresenceRR⁺⁺⁺⁺MG⁺⁺⁺AT^-MK⁺⁺MT⁺⁺AK^-PL^{+ L}MN^-TK^-

Nth. PresenceTN^P?MH?RK?PK^-NS?SW^-

VouchersRR¹⁹⁹⁰ PL²⁰²³

Local OriginIntroduced; Recent; Naturalised

Global RangeNative: Malaysia; Introduced: global;

HabitatLand

ThreatenedNo Content

InvasivenessInvasive; Wilderness - serious, Agriculture - serious, Domestic - serious; as a disease spreader

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusHarmful; disease spreading (vector)

UsesNo Content

IdentificationNo Content

Multimedia & Other Resources

Photographs: 4
Video: 0
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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5BE074_Ratt-ratt_

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Dark form

Rat attacking a bird's nest

Black and white illustration

Light form; juvenile

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Ship Rat ^EN Black Rat^EN House Rat^EN Roof Rat^EN Hausratte^DE

Pacific Names

‘Iole / ‘Iole-nui ^HAW [rat / big rat]

Local Names

Kiore Toka^RR Kiore^MG,MK,MT,TNw Kiore Pāniora^MK P,?N^PL Kiole^TNs

National Name: Kiore Toka ^RR

Notes: Kiore Pāniora an early name on Ma‘uke for the introduced rat(s).

Island	Status	Main name
National name	RR	Kiore Toka
Rarotonga	++++	Kiore Toka
Mangaia	+++	Kiore
Ātiu	-	A,nN
Ma‘uke	++	Kiore / Kiore Pāniora
Miti‘āro	++	Kiore
Aitutaki	-	A,nN
Palmerston	+ L	P,?N
Tongareva-write	P?	Kiore
Tongareva-speak	P?	Kiole
Manihiki		?P,?N
Rakahanga		?P,?N
Pukapuka	-	?P,?N
Nassau		?P,?N

National Distribution & Vouchers

National Presence:

Present

Oceanic

Absent

islands: [ , {label: 'Rarotonga', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 404.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 222, labelTop: 404} , {label: 'Mangaia', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 427.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 274, labelTop: 426} , {label: 'Ātiu', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 372.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 382} , {label: 'Ma‘uke', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 374.5, left: 282.5, labelLeft: 284, labelTop: 385} , {label: 'Miti‘āro', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 358.5, left: 274.5, labelLeft: 283, labelTop: 351} , {label: 'Aitutaki', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 334.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 209, labelTop: 321} , {label: 'Palmerston', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 346.5, left: 234.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 338} , {label: 'Takūtea', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 362.5, left: 254.5, labelLeft: 211, labelTop: 363} , {label: 'Tongareva', stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff', top: 32.5, left: 260.5, labelLeft: 205, labelTop: 31} , {label: 'Manihiki', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 63.5, left: 173.5, labelLeft: 186, labelTop: 63} , {label: 'Pukapuka', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 88.5, left: 33.5, labelLeft: 45, labelTop: 88} , {label: 'Nassau', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 108.5, left: 46.5, labelLeft: 59, labelTop: 108} , {label: 'Suwarrow', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 162.5, left: 115.5, labelLeft: 127, labelTop: 162} ] , legend: [{label: 'Not Assessed', top: 235, stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#ffffff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: 'Present', top: 250, stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Present', top: 265, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Absent', top: 280, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Absent', top: 295, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RWR', tris: '#c0c0c0', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Intercepted', top: 312, stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RDR', tris: '#000000', trif: '#000000'}, {label: 'Extirpated/Extinct', top: 331, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'RGR', tris: '#660000', trif: '#CC0000'} ]

Island	Status
Rarotonga	++++
Mangaia	+++
Ātiu	Absent
Ma‘uke	++
Miti‘āro	++
Aitutaki	Absent
Palmerston	+ L	2023 report
Manuae	Absent
Takūtea	Absent
Tongareva	Present ?
Manihiki
Rakahanga
Pukapuka	Absent
Nassau
Suwarrow	Absent

Vouchers for:
Rattus rattus

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga _____ 1990 1cs specimen specimen, 10, Totokoitu-Turoa-Avana, Jan/1990, B.Fitzgerald with ID as two colour morphs of Rattus rattus - seven 'frugivorous' morph (agouti back, white belly), and three 'alexandrinus' morph (agouti back, grey belly).

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston _____ 2023 1cs specimen specimens, 2022-11, Home Island only, Em Oyston report 2023-02 as Rattus rattus.

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka

Nassau

Suwarrow

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

no data available

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

no data available

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.03.16 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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Cook Islands Status Summary

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Pacific Names

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

Accepted Name

Synonyms

National Distribution & Vouchers

Vouchers for:
Rattus rattus

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

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Cook Islands Status Summary

Multimedia & Other Resources

Vernacular Names

Accepted Name

Synonyms

Vouchers for: Rattus rattus

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Vouchers for:
Rattus rattus