Mayor Eric Adams of New York City, known for his strong dislike of rats, has taken a unique approach to tackle the city’s rat problem. This year, he appointed a rat czar with the sole purpose of eliminating these pests. As an urban ecologist who has spent 12 years studying New York City rats, I can confidently say that the methods used by the city and its residents to exterminate rats, such as traps and poisons, have not been effective and are unnecessarily brutal. The reliance on technological approaches, like black poison-bait boxes, has overshadowed more sustainable population management solutions.
The rats of New York City owe their thriving population to the abundant food sources found on the city’s dirty streets, a problem that has persisted since the first European settlers arrived. Today, with its high population density and aging infrastructure, New York City continues to provide the perfect habitat for rats. To effectively manage these rodents, we need to disrupt their perfect home by restricting their access to human food and buildings. I commend Mayor Adams and his rat czar for recognizing this strategy, but it will require every New Yorker’s participation to achieve success.
The city has heavily relied on rat poison, applying over 60,000 pounds of rodenticides in 2021 alone. Over the years, the use of anticoagulants, which cause rats to experience slow internal bleeding, has also increased. However, the mass deployment of poisons not only harms rats but also affects predators higher up the food chain. It takes just one unsecured bait box to inadvertently poison a curious family dog.
In addition to poison, the city has resorted to macabre methods of rat extermination, such as glue traps and snap traps. These methods are cruel and often fail to immediately kill the rats. During his time as Brooklyn borough president, Mayor Adams even showcased a bucket trap that drowned rats, creating a disturbing sight akin to a “mouse-gray stew.”
Trapping and poisoning alone cannot effectively control rat populations due to their rapid reproductive capabilities. It only takes a small number of survivors or migrants to replenish the population. Female rats can become sexually mature within six weeks and give birth to two or three dozen pups each year. With a lifespan of only a year, rats can quickly multiply. Although scientists have attempted to develop birth control baits, these solutions have been expensive and ineffective in real-world conditions.
Furthermore, there is a lack of data to support the notion that poisons and traps significantly reduce rat populations. While the city government diligently monitors mosquito populations and disease threats, it has failed to implement a similar program for rats. Such data is essential for determining the success of management efforts beyond annual or seasonal fluctuations in rat populations. Relying on complaints to the city’s 3-1-1 service as an indicator of rat numbers is unreliable and imprecise.
Given these failures, some may argue that attempting to control New York City’s rat population is futile. However, the presence of rats extends beyond being a nuisance and causing property damage. It reflects racial and socioeconomic inequality, with rats thriving in poorer neighborhoods with older buildings. These infestations worsen mental health issues among residents, further deteriorating the local quality of life.
My research as an urban ecologist has shown that rats have their own distinct genetic “neighborhoods” that partially align with human neighborhoods. Rats typically remain close to their birthplace, rarely venturing more than a few city blocks away. In Midtown Manhattan, improved trash pickup initiatives have created areas with fewer rats due to limited food availability. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize strategies that target the rats’ living conditions in the city rather than simply responding to complaints in a reactive manner.
Kathleen Corradi, the newly appointed rat czar, brings a wealth of experience to the city’s rat management policies. Her work in reducing food waste in New York City schools demonstrates her commitment to sustainable solutions. Similarly, Jessica Tisch, the Sanitation Department commissioner, shares Ms. Corradi’s determination to assert human control over the city rather than letting rats dominate. Together, they are working on implementing measures such as secure garbage containers, targeted trash pickups, and compulsory municipal composting to address the rat issue.
However, government programs and top-down initiatives can only accomplish so much. The problem of rats in New York City is deeply rooted in the behavior of every individual, as well as establishments such as restaurants, schools, and grocery stores. To truly make a difference, New Yorkers must be willing to confront the underlying issue of food waste. The city wastes around 6.5 million pounds of food every day, roughly equivalent to a pound per person. To see a significant reduction in the rat population, New York’s culture of takeout and outdoor dining would need to change. An adult rat can sustain itself and reproduce with just an ounce of food scavenged daily from greasy wrappers or food containers. However, better trash collection practices can have a profound impact, as underfed female rats will produce fewer offspring.
New York City will face significant challenges in managing its rat populations, particularly with the effects of climate change and deteriorating infrastructure. The city’s shift towards a humid subtropical climate allows rats to breed for longer periods, posing a greater threat to our health and quality of life. Nonetheless, the battle against rats can only begin by focusing on our behavior rather than solely blaming the rodents themselves.
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Jason Munshi-South is a biology professor at Fordham University, overseeing the Munshi-South Lab at Fordham’s Louis Calder Center. With 16 years of experience studying the ecology and evolution of urban wildlife, particularly rodents, in New York City, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the subject.
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