The bulldog rat (Rattus nativitatis) is an extinct species of rat formerly endemic to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. It was one of two rats endemic to Christmas Island, alongside Maclear's rat .

The Bulldog rat (Rattus nativitatis) is an extinct species that once lived in the Indian Ocean area of Christmas Island. When the Bulldog rat was alive and thriving in the area, they were mostly found in the higher hills and forests of the area.

The Bulldog Rat became extinct probably between 1900 and 1904. This species was never as abundant as the other native rat to Christmas Island, Rattus macleari, which went extinct in 1904 (Green 2014). Two specimens were collected by Lister in 1887 (Thomas 1888), and a further nine specimens were collected by Andrews in 1897-1898 (Andrews 1900).

It was long suspected that Rattus nativitatis became extinct because of a pathogenic trypanosome disease carried by fleas residing on Common Black Rat (R. rattus) which were introduced to the island. However, confirmation of this had been lacking until (Wyatt et. al. 2008).

Just a few years later it was completely wiped out, along with another endemic rat called the Bulldog Rat (Rattus nativitatis). Commercially attractive phosphate deposits have brought many expeditions to the island, and with their cargo came black rats.

The bulldog rat was a slow moving rat, native to Christmas Island. Records of the bulldog rat said that it was unafraid of humans and refused to climb trees. It was perfectly adapted to the tropical environment of Christmas Island, but it lacked the ability to adapt.

The Bulldog Rat (Rattus nativitatis) was a species of rat endemic to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. The rats lived on the higher hills and denser forests of the island. They had short tails and their backs were covered in a two centimetre thick layer of fat.

"The Bulldog or burrowing Rat was a very different creature with a distinct ecological niche. . . . Its strong, broad claws were adapted for digging. It was far more localized than Maclear's Rat, being restricted to the hilly interior of the islan...

The bulldog rat (Rattus nativitatis) was a species of rat endemic to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. The rats lived on the higher hills and denser forests of the island. They had short tails and their backs were covered in a two centimetre thick layer of fat.

The Bulldog Rat (Rattus nativitatis), a unique member of the rodent family, brings a fascinating aspect to the rich tapestry of mammalian life. This