The Norwegian rat, aka the brown rat, aka the official animal of New York City, emigrated to our fair city from Europe in the mid 18th century by stowing away on French (or possibly English) ships bound for the New World. This resilient and reviled creature has flourished over the last couple of centuries: the estimated rat population of NYC is an impressive (and disturbing) 2 million strong. Loathsome though they might be, their lineage as New Yorkers goes much deeper than most of us city residents can claim, and they have some admirable traits too! For example, they have a complex social structure and distinct little rat neighborhoods with notable differences between, say, the East Village rat community and that of the West Village. And they are warriors! Every mayor in the history of NYC has declared war on the rats and every mayor has lost the battle. This little rat totem is a symbol of the ability to thrive in the face of adversity.