Mutant super rats is not the title of the next straight to DVD Hollywood horror flick; but rather a real problem plaguing cities in Britain and much of Europe.

A Plague Of Mutant Super Rats

Researchers claim in a recent study that a new breed of super rats are invading English cities, like Henley, and are completely resistant to pesticides because of years of genetic mutation. Authorities have adequately labeled theses rats as “mutant super rats.”

Spotting A Mutant Super Rat

Unfortunately, there are no discernable features that allow us to distinguish the super mutant rats from their brown rat non-mutant counterparts, despite the freaky picture below. The only way to tell if a rat is “super mutant,” is by testing the rat’s tails with new DNA techniques.

Controlling The Mutant Super Rats

Pest control professionals are having a difficult time controlling the disease carrying pests because the rats are immune to common poisons. As the rat’s numbers grow, pest control professionals are beginning to look for stronger pesticides to help eliminate the mutant super rats. At this time, the government’s regulatory body is worried about stronger poison’s effect on other local wildlife so no such pesticides are legally available for use in combating the rats. Until then, the millions of mutant super rats are left to run amuck.

Huge Numbers of Mutant Super Rats

Out of the 10.5 million rats in Britain, three out of every four rats carry the pesticide resistant gene. That’s almost 8 Million mutant super rats roaming the city, spreading disease. The rats are being found in both urban and rural areas of Britain.

Rats Carrying Disease

The reason the super mutant rats need to be eliminated, is because the transmit diseases to both humans and animals that can be life threatening. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these diseases can include: Hantavirus, Plague, Rat-Bite fever, Lassa fever, Hemorrhagic fever, and Leptospirosis.

Rats

Rats are infamous for demolishing a property by gnawing on wood, plants and trees. They also destroy properties with their nesting habits, making their homes in trees and underground. Rat’s success as a pest is mostly due to their small size, their hardiness, their short breeding cycles, and their capability to eat a very wide variety of foods.

Rats are prominent wherever you see fresh gnawing, rat droppings, and/or rat tracks. Their nests are made from shredded paper or other material and are often found in sheltered locations. Most rats have an unpleasant, musky odor that identifies their presence. They are excellent climbers and can scale any rough vertical surface.

A Look At The Future

All this talk about mutant super rats has got me wondering… Are we really that far off from seeing walking, talking rodents like Splinter from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

Sources:

www.geog.ucsb.edu
www.thesun.co.uk
www.telegraph.co.uk

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Coyotes Battle Chicago Rat Infestation

Chicago’s municipality has found some new employees, about 250 of them, to help keep the city clean—and without the need to dole out any expensive pensions, either.  So who makes up this new hiring push in Chicago?  Coyotes, of course.

WGN-TV aired a news story showing a video, presumably captured on someone’s phone, of a coyote running down the Loop’s State Street at around 3am.  An inquiry was made to the city’s police, asking them if they were aware of the predator or coyote problems in the city.

The police stated they had no knowledge of why the animal might be there; however, a supervisor at the Chicago Commission on Animal Care and Control, Brad Block, stated that he knew the real reason the coyote was spotted: he was working.

According to Block, this coyote and a number like it, each fitted with a GPS collar, are used to help the city lower its pest problems.  The coyotes feast on rats, mice and rabbits—veritably, the greenest pest control available as it fits right in with the ecological food chain.  Block goes on to say that these coyotes are not a problem: “He’s not a threat…He’s not going to pick up your children…His job is to deal with all of the nuisance problems, like mice, rats and rabbits” (Chicago Breaking News).

These coyotes are not a source of concern for citizens, Block affirms, they’re let loose only to control the pest population.  However, since this news story broke, there have been several other ideas put out there as to the real reason Chicagoans are seeing coyotes in their city.

Treehugger.com, the popular green blog, believes the coyotes are part of the 250 coyotes radio-tagged for the Urban Coyote Ecology and Management program, a research project run by Cook County to see how coyotes fare in large urban areas.  Coyotes, a natural part of the plains geography and ecological system, have been pushed out of the city and had to redefine their role within the dynamics of the human presence.

What’s become remarkable is that these coyotes have risen to the top of the food chain in many metropolitan areas where coyotes are present.  This means that the coyotes have become more brazen and bold, venturing outwards into the cities where years ago they would never have been found.

Is Coyote Pest Control Safe?

Many cities in the Southwest have already learned first-hand what happens when the coyotes move in to the metropolitan area.  In California and Arizona, people have taken to feeding the coyotes, giving them handouts, making them more comfortable with people and counting on people as a source of food.

Many coyotes have had to be removed from those areas as the coyotes start to take advantage of the comfort afforded to them: often times attacking and eating pets and, in very small cases, attacking children. The coyotes had become a pest.

While it isn’t certain exactly if the coyote caught on video was part of the Urban Coyote program, or if it was in fact “let loose” for the purposes of pest control, what is certain is the rising number of coyote sightings (and road-kill) in Chicago and the very real fact that they’re figuring out how to return to their indigent plains habitat and reclaim their role as top predator.

About the author: Thomas dedicates himself to environmental issues including humane bird and pest control. When he’s not reviewing companies like www.bird-x.com, you can find him training for his first marathon.

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Pest Of The Week: The Brown Rat

Brown Rat – Rattus norvegicus 1a (Photo credit: Dluogs)

The Brown rat, also known as the Common rat, Sewer rat or Wharf rat, is one of the best known; and most common of the rat species.

The Brown rat’s fur is coarse, and usually brown or dark grey; while the underside is a lighter shade of grey or brown. The length of this rodent can reach 10 inches, with the tail measuring an additional 10 inches; or roughly the same length as the body. The adult Brown rat’s average body weight, can be 12 oz (females) to 19 oz (males).

Likely originating from the plains of Asia, Northern China and Mongolia, the Brown rat was introduced to other parts of the world; sometime in the Middle Ages. Today, the Brown rat has spread to all continents; with the exception of the Arctic, Antarctica, isolated islands and Calgary AB Canada. This rodent species is considered the dominant rat in Europe and much of North America, as it is often discovered living wherever humans reside; especially in urban areas.

Brown rats that do find shelter in human habitations, will not wander about. Instead, these rodents will (most often) remain within 20 meters of their nesting area, if a suitable supply of food is readily available.

It has been said that there are as many rats in cities as people, but this notion varies from area to area; depending on climate, living conditions, etc. In New York City there is great debate over the size of the rat population, with estimates from nearly 100 million rats; to as few as 250,000. Experts suggest that NYC’s aging infrastructure, high moisture and poverty rates; will continue to contribute to the city’s rodent pest control problem.

Brown Rat (Photo credit: Nikon Ranger)

Brown rats are most often active at night, and considered excellent swimmers (surface and underwater). As well, Brown rats are great excavators, and will construct elaborate burrow systems; to provide safety and shelter. However, unlike the related Black Rat (commonly referred to as Roof rat), the Brown rat is a very poor climber.

Similar to other rodents, Brown rats may carry a number of pathogens; which can result in the spread of disease. This is something that causes major concern, in many tenants and home owners. As such, the first sign of a rodent invasion often prompts an immediate pest control response.

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