Why Can’t Rats Be Extinct?
WouterScientists are still trying to figure out why rats aren’t extinct, but they are beginning to suspect human activity. They say that metal tools were introduced around 1000 years ago in Timor, allowing people to clear forests on a grander scale. They are hoping to use this information to improve modern conservation efforts.
In the past, people have tried to eradicate rats, but the methods were not effective. For example, Europeans tried to eradicate rats during the bubonic plague and the Black Death. Even modern-day sanitation systems have failed to control rat populations. It also takes years to develop carrier animals, and it takes several years to set up a small field trial. Plus, there are political hurdles to overcome. For example, rats are revered in some cultures, and the eradication of these creatures might have unintended consequences.
Scientists also think that the extinction of rats would disrupt a delicate ecological system. Without them, many animals that prey on rats would lose their food source, and this would have a huge impact on the ecosystem’s food chain. In addition to these unintended consequences, eradicating all rats would mean a global disruption in the food chain.
Rats are responsible for the extinction of up to 60 percent of island birds and reptiles, according to researchers. These species often live on high-elevation islands where conditions are favorable for them to survive. However, global warming and other factors can also cause the island rodents to move elsewhere.
