The number of rats is sharply increasing in cities
In recent years, one of the serious problems for many city residents worldwide has been the sharp increase in the number of rats. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
This situation is increasingly observed in cities of developed countries such as the USA, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands. Local and international publications regularly report on this issue.
Experts cite several reasons for the increase in the rat population. These include the untimely collection of city waste, outdated sewage systems, the widespread culture of fast food, as well as global climate change and milder winters.
These factors create a favorable living environment for rats. According to the British Pest Control Association, requests for rat extermination have significantly increased over the past five years.
For example, Cleankill, a company operating in southern England, reported a 20 percent increase in such requests over the last two years. This problem has also intensified in the USA and Canada.
According to a scientific study published in the journal Science Advances, over the past 20 years, the rat population has increased by 400 percent in Washington, 300 percent in San Francisco, 160 percent in New York, and 180 percent in Toronto. Scientists emphasize that rats are naturally very prolific animals.
A female can produce six litters per year, each with up to twelve pups. If uncontrolled, two rats can produce over a thousand offspring in one year.
Additionally, rats' cautious fear of new things, known as neophobia, makes them difficult to eliminate. They first test poison in small amounts and then consume it carefully.
Moreover, some rats have been found to have genetic changes that provide immunity to chemical substances. For this reason, pest control services are shifting to modern long-acting preparations and developing new strategies.
However, experts emphasize that the effectiveness of such measures is also limited. Specialists warn that rats not only damage urban infrastructure but also pose a serious threat to human health.
They can spread severe diseases such as leptospirosis and hantavirus and become sources of various infections. Therefore, it is necessary to pay serious attention to this problem in our cities.
