In popular culture a wharf rat is someone who lives near or frequent a wharf typically living off the food scraps and other resources left behind by fishermen and other workers. The term is also used more broadly to refer to anyone living an impoverished or marginal existence.
The origins of the term are uncertain but it is likely that it was originally used in a derogatory way to describe poor uneducated people who congregated near docks and other waterfront areas. Over time however the term has come to be embraced by some as a badge of honor a symbol of the hardscrabble lives they lead.
There is no one definitive answer to the question of what a wharf rat is. To some it is simply someone who lives near or frequents a wharf. Others may use the term to describe anyone living an impoverished or marginal existence.
Wharf rats have been featured in various forms of popular culture including literature film and television. In the 1947 novel The Wharf Rat by George Ratsey the titular character is a wharf rat who befriends a young boy named Jimmy. The 1968 film Ratso Rizzo starring Dustin Hoffman is about a New York City street hustler who is nicknamed “Ratso” because of his rat-like appearance.
The term “wharf rat” has also been used in a number of songs including “Wharf Rat” by the Grateful Dead and “Old Wharf Rat” by Dave Van Ronk.
What is a wharf rat?
Answer 1: A wharf rat is a rat that lives near or on wharves.
What do wharf rats eat?
Answer 2: Wharf rats eat any type of food they can find including garbage fish and bird droppings.
Where do wharf rats live?
Answer 3: Wharf rats live near or on wharves.
How big are wharf rats?
Answer 4: Wharf rats can be up to 18 inches long including their tail.
What is the lifespan of a wharf rat?
Answer 5: The lifespan of a wharf rat is about 2-3 years.
What does a wharf rat look like?
Answer 6: Wharf rats are brown or black with a naked tail.
What is the scientific name for a wharf rat?
Answer 7: The scientific name for a wharf rat is Rattus rattus.
What is the order of a wharf rat?
Answer 8: The order of a wharf rat is Rodentia.
What is the family of a wharf rat?
Answer 9: The family of a wharf rat is Muridae.
What is the genus of a wharf rat?
Answer 10: The genus of a wharf rat is Rattus.
What noise does a wharf rat make?
Answer 11: Wharf rats make a squeaking noise.
Are wharf rats dangerous?
Answer 12: Wharf rats are not dangerous to humans but they may carry diseases.
Do wharf rats bite?
Answer 13: Wharf rats may bite if they feel threatened.
How do wharf rats reproduce?
Answer 14: Female wharf rats can have litters of up to 12 baby rats.
What is the average weight of a wharf rat?
Answer 15: The average weight of a wharf rat is about 5-7 ounces.
