Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which land areas have no native rodent species?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
rodent
Black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus).
Rodents are indigenous to every land area on Earth with a few notable exceptions, including Antarctica, New Zealand, and certain Arctic and other oceanic islands.1
While some rodent species have been introduced to these locations through their association with humans, they are not considered native to these regions. It is important to note that while the kiore (or Polynesian rat) is often associated with New Zealand, it is not a native species; it was introduced to the islands by humans and has since been largely replaced by other non-native rats, such as the Norwegian and black rats.12