WAYNESBORO, VA (Rocktown Now) — On March 6, the Wildlife Center admitted an Allegheny Woodrat found living in a crawl space in Albemarle County. Unlike most patients that arrive due to injury, this woodrat came to the Center for a very different reason—to take part in a conservation breeding program.
Allegheny Woodrats—also nicknamed “pack rats” for their habit of collecting and caching non-food items—are medium-sized rodents with large ears, grayish-brown fur, and a white underside. These rats typically inhabit rocky outcrops, cliffs, and similar habitats. Once common across much of the Midwest and East Coast, their population has declined significantly over the past century.
Today, conservation organizations are working to restore woodrat populations through collaborative breeding and release efforts. In Virginia, where populations remain stable, the Wildlife Center assists by placing woodrats in areas where the species is struggling to recover…