The Allegheny woodrat is a rare and threatened native North American rodent. Unlike common non-native rats (like the Norway rat), the Allegheny woodrat has a hairy tail (dark on top, light underneath) and large ears. It also has silky fur and a blunt nose. It lives in rocky areas, like cliffs and caves, and is a plant-eater (herbivore), preferring fruits, nuts, berries, and seeds.

The woodrat is nocturnal (active at night) and stays awake all year, storing nuts and vegetation to survive the winter. It builds nests and leaves piles of debris around them—possibly to act as an early warning system for predators.

The Allegheny woodrat is currently on the rare species list in West Virginia. Across its entire historical range (from New York to Alabama), its population has been rapidly declining, causing many states to list it as endangered or threatened.