More Rats Spotted Due to COVID-19 Quarantine

Experts say that the quarantine, which caused the closing of many restaurants and buildings, confining humans indoors, is changing the behavior and eating patterns of rats.

The famous streets of New Orleans' French Quarter saw new rat swarms wandering later in March. Rats have come out of hiding in Louisiana shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the government to quarantine people and nearby establishments.

Robert Corrigan, a famous urban rodentologist, said that this is not surprising. He says that when a rat colony has long depended on tourists producing trash and litter on the streets, and these suddenly disappear, rats are suddenly left with nothing to eat. Claudia Riegel of the pest control board of New Orleans confirmed this and told the media that the rats "are hungry."

Worldwide, the pandemic has caused changes in human behavior. In some areas, the sudden disappearance of rubbish from humans forced rats to adapt. Corrigan had received messages from his friends in New York who had started seeing rats in places they have never been known to frequent, as well as appearing at unusual times when they previously only usually went out at night.

In some places, no observable changes in the habits of rats have been seen, possibly because they may only feed on household rubbish instead of restaurant trash. The National Pest Technicians Association in the United Kingdom warned that the closing of public establishments would cause unintended consequences. Pest populations may take over empty buildings in search of food and start being emboldened by the human absence.

Corrigan also shared with BBC that hungry rats can reach considerably long distances; they can turn up in a different area that had previously no rat population. He added that they are "formidable mammals" who are adept in sniffing out food sources, and armed with powerful teeth for gnawing, they can easily penetrate barriers such as walls, plastics, and doors. Rats are everywhere, Corrigan said, and they have colonized the entire globe due to their adaptive survival skills. Corrigan called them "masters of adaptation."

New Orleans city officials are making extra measures for controlling rat colonies. Hungry rats are more likely to accept food in rat traps.

Corrigan says sanitation itself is a pest control measure. If there is no food, then the rats will turn upon themselves, controlling their population. Cannibalism is common, especially in stressed animal populations.

Hungry rats that are wandering in a desperate search for food may invade homes and cause damage. They can easily gnaw on electrical wires and cause house fires. They also spread many diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is yet no evidence that they or other animals spread COVID-19.

Corrigan suggests calling pest control services if rats have been seen in the home. He advises people to leave the job of eliminating rats to professionals. Nonetheless, the house can be made less prone to rats by sealing entry points like holes, cracks, pipes, and other utilities. Clearing up clutter and leaving fewer places to hide is also a good idea. It is also essential to keep food sealed in containers inaccessible to rats.