Urbanisation. Whether you love it or hate it, there is no debate around the substantial impact it has on the natural environment around us. The effects can be wide ranging, from destroying habitats to increasing air & noise pollution which, in turn, can have a dramatic effect on how different species of pests are affected. The loss of habitat, which is often permanent, means some species of pests will die off quickly, however others are more adaptable to urban life and begin to thrive.
In this article, we will focus on why cities provide the perfect environment for rats and how increasing urbanisation can affect rat populations. These rodents and building works have gone hand in hand for generations. Aside from humans, house mice, black rats and brown rats are the most wide-spread urban mammals so the fact that they can thrive in cities will not be news to anyone.
However, given the problems associated with rats (which you can read about here) it’s important to understand how urban environments can affect these critters, so you can understand how to best deal with them. ‘Know your enemy…’ This is especially so in built up areas as studies suggest the aforementioned problems are heightened compared to rural areas.
Cities Are Warmer
As we have referred to in previous posts, rats prefer warmer conditions, often venturing into homes during the winter. In cities, there are more homes and businesses for them to invade, particularly in the autumn and winter when temperatures start to drop.
There are also more heat generating devices, such as electrical appliances and lighting that make urban areas attractive for rats. Sewers can also provide warm, stable temperatures and make the ideal breeding ground.
City Infrastructure
Rats require shelter and prefer to stay clear of humans. Despite cities being more densely populated, they also have far more infrastructure which provides plenty of shelter. Think about all the drains, cracks and crevices in streets and buildings, water pipes, sewers, and underground tunnels such as tubes.
All of these provide areas of safety where humans rarely visit and rats can be left alone to breed. The infrastructure also provides plenty of sheltered travel routes so they can move between nests and sources of food without the risk of venturing out into the open. Areas like sewers are pretty much an all-in-one solution, providing an abundance of food from waste matter, warm, stable temperatures, shelter and an area where humans rarely visit.
In addition, rats have incredibly strong teeth and are not shy about using them. They will ‘gnaw’ through pretty much anything (including some metals), which helps to provide unrivalled access to almost anywhere they fancy!
Cities Tend to Have More Construction Works
As rats thrive in urban areas, the more construction works there are, the more habitability is being provided for them. Cities tend to have more construction activity than rural areas (when you’re next in London, see if you can count the number of cranes visible from where you’re standing) which means rat populations will likely increase, in line with the development works.
Hand in hand with the development works comes problems such as unfinished sites or abandoned/disused buildings, which are also more of a problem in cities than rural areas. Each of these provides plenty of shelter for rodents and materials for them to nest in. Each will also have an absence of humans which is another big tick for the rats.
It has also been suggested that diseases from rats can spread more rapidly when they travel from colony to colony. By increasing the amount of construction work in cities, this may have the effect of disturbing rat populations, as opposed to eradicating them, forcing them to visit other colonies and spread their pathogens. It also suggests that any campaign designed to eradicate a rat infestation should, wherever possible, limit the chances of them migrating elsewhere.
Food Sources
Rats are extremely adaptable and, as they are omnivores, so are their diets as they will eat almost anything. As they have nestled into cities, they have happily changed their dining routines to feast almost exclusively on human food. The majority of this they will get from bins or waste food that has not been disposed of properly, or where rats have gained access via the city’s infrastructure.
With all of the restaurants, businesses and houses needing to dispose of waste (often having to leave it in communal waste disposal areas or on the side of roads in plastic bags) it’s never particularly difficult for a rat to get a good meal.
As such, it is essential for cities to have adequate waste disposal schemes including regular pick-ups and secure areas allocated for rubbish. Budget cuts in recent times can impact the funding of these schemes which can, in turn, create a more favourable environment for rats.
Human Attitudes
Another possible reason for rats being particularly attracted to cities is that generally they tend to have more people renting accommodation. People who rent can take less care in maintaining properties, including repairing damage to infrastructure such as holes in the wall and maintaining proper hygiene standards in waste disposal areas. This lack of good practice can make properties all the more accommodating for rats looking to feed and nest.
People may also feel reluctant to address the problem as ‘what’s the point’ there will be loads of other rat nests in the neighbourhood. This is supported by the findings in an industry report which suggests killing rats alone, in a small area or building, may be ineffective as their population will rebound quickly, either from surviving rats breeding quickly or rats from other populations invading the area. The key then, should be to engage the public on a large scale to deal with the issue.
Why are They a Problem In Cities
We have previously discussed the problems associated with rats, which you can read here. To summarise some of the key points:
Diseases
Rats carry diseases which can readily be transferred to humans and domestic animals.
Damage to infrastructure
Rats will chew through anything – walls, pipes, and electrical wires to name a few. Each pose their own dangers.
Emotional Distress
The presence of rats can cause emotional and mental distress, such as anxiety and lack of sleep.
Reputational damage
Whether they have infested your business or home, rats can impact someone’s reputation in their community or industry.
Conclusion
Rats are tough, adaptable creatures and, unlike many animals, have learnt to thrive in urban locations.
The abundance of food sources generated from human waste, sheltered areas for them to nest, reproduce and travel as well as lack of general good hygiene practices from humans has created a ready-made playground for them to live in.
Some commentators suggest that they are now so well suited to cities than individual attempts to eradicate them from small areas may prove futile, and only a joint effort from the public will provide tangible results. Until then, there’s not much chance of these city-dwellers upping sticks and moving on.
Regardless of the impact on the city’s rat population as a whole, if you experience an infestation, it’s important that you address the problem as quickly as possible. Rats are prolific breeders so the earlier you address it, the smaller the problem will be. We supply a range of rat poisons, traps and bait stations to achieve quick and reliable results.
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