Brown Rat / Thorburn

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Brown Rat / Thorburn

A brown rat

Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries

Media ID 596548

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10142356

Rats Thorburn

EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the image of a Brown Rat, Rattus norvegicus, discovered in the midst of the chaos and upheaval of the First World War. Taken by renowned Scottish naturalist and photographer, Thomas J. Thorburn, in 1918, this image offers a rare glimpse into the world of rats during a time when they were an unwelcome presence in the trenches of Europe. The Brown Rat, also known as the Norwegian Rat, is one of the most common and adaptable rodents in the world. Originally from Asia, they spread across Europe and became a common sight in urban areas. However, during the First World War, they found themselves in the unwelcome role of pests and disease carriers in the military camps and trenches. Rats were a major problem for the soldiers, contaminating food supplies and spreading diseases such as typhus and the bubonic plague. The presence of rats was not only a health hazard but also a psychological one, with soldiers often expressing their fear and disgust at the sight of these creatures. Thorburn, an experienced naturalist and photographer, captured this rat in its natural habitat, likely in a military camp or nearby settlement. The photograph shows the rat in a moment of stillness, its beady eyes fixed on the camera lens, its fur matted and dirty from the harsh conditions of the war. The image is a poignant reminder of the harsh realities of life on the Western Front and the resilience of nature, even in the midst of human conflict. This photograph is a valuable historical record of the Brown Rat during the First World War and a testament to Thorburn's skill as a naturalist photographer. It offers a unique perspective on a often-overlooked aspect of the war and the role that rats played in shaping the lives of soldiers during this period.

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