"I estimated about one hundred rats living in the alley, hidden away in holes, basements, underground vaults. And to think that the first time I looked down the alley all I saw was a dead end!" Robert Sullivan
Cities are generally not concieved of as habitats for wild animals. Nevertheless, the brown rat is such a ubiquitous and universal resident of cities that if any animal is associated with cities, it is the rat. The rat has become so enmeshed in our habits of daily life, culture, and perception of urban spaces that it is often ignored or forgotten, at least until it becomes starkly visible. And the rat will probably always be a part of our urban life for good or ill.