Survival of Rats at Eniwetok Atoll

Abstract

The story of rats at Eniwetok Atoll (Marshall Islands) and their apparently uncanny ability to survive atomic detonations and inhabit areas with high levels of radiation has been referred to in various documents (Berrill, 1966; Hines, 1962 and 1966; French, 1965; Woodbury, 1962); all are to some degree incomplete or in error. The purpose of this paper is to pull together the fragments of data that are available and, at this late date, attempt to piece together the story of the survival of rat populations at Eniwetok.