How Many Rats in New York City?
WouterIn the first quarter of 2019, New York City residents reported more than 15,000 cases of rat sightings to 311. In contrast, only 12,000 cases were reported in the same period in 2014. During the same period, the number of initial health inspections that uncovered signs of “active rat infestation” increased by almost half. Rats are known to spread leptospirosis, which can cause severe liver damage.
Rats are known to jump four feet in one jump and are also capable of treading water. They are usually seen traveling the same routes, and their habitat is not very diverse. In addition, they reproduce very rapidly – at least twice a year! The highest concentration of reported sightings was in three-family apartment buildings. Hospitals were also frequent targets.
The city’s population of rats is growing out of control. Since 2010, there have been more sightings of rats than ever before. In April alone, there were more than seven thousand complaints involving rats, compared with 6,000 in the same period of last year. The health department is still not up to full capacity, however, and there were only twenty percent more inspections in the first four months of 2019.
The city’s Health Department blames the increase in rat activity on increased food waste from outdoor dining. It has also urged property owners to minimize the rat population by limiting the amount of food available to rats. While the city has taken steps to curb the rodent population, some experts say the city is not doing enough to control the problem. As a result, the city is scaling back plans to expand its composting program, which would help reduce the number of food sources available to rats.
