New York Rats (Rattus norvegicus)
by: Erik Pedersen
Where are they most common? Most of the rats are
centered around areas with multi-family housing. This includes the South Bronx, most of Manhattan, and northern Brooklyn.
No part of the city is completely free of rats
% of communities with signs of rats in 2007
Why are they so common in NYC?
• Extensive underground subway system
• Large amount of public parks
• Both are easy places for rats to make burrow sites
• Easy access to trash
What damage can they cause?• Damage to property, including yards and housing infrastructure
•Potential to carry diseases, such as “typhus fever, Trichinosis,
and Salmonella food infections”
•Contamination of food
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvLDFtaL5HI
What is the city doing about the problem?
• In the past, the government
encouraged the use of poison
• Ended this policy due to
the potential harm to
children
• Rats also began to
develop a resistance to
the poison
• The city now focuses on
public education campaigns to
encourage citizens to keep
their areas clean and less rat-
friendly
What should citizens do to prevent rats?
• Put all trash in trash cans
with lids
• Make sure building is
well-sealed
• Keep yards well
maintained
• Encourage others to help,
individual efforts will have
little effect on the rat
population
What is the future of rats in New York City?
• Given their phenomenal ability to adapt, rats will never be completely
eradicated from the city
• However, with increased help from the government and effort from
citizens, work can certainly be done to both diminish the population
and make the city a more healthy environment at the same time
• Despite this, a walk down a majority of city streets shows that
there is still a long way to go to reach this goal