A new study has found that Washington, DC, has experienced the largest increase in its rat population, and their numbers are only getting larger. Published in Science Advances, the study analyzed public complaints and inspection data from 16 cities worldwide, marking the first time researchers have directly connected rat population growth to global warming patterns.
Washington D.C., San Francisco, Toronto, New York City and Amsterdam exhibited the five strongest positive trends, followed by Oakland, Buffalo, Chicago, Boston, Kansas City, and Cincinnati.
The magnitude of trends varied widely; for instance, the surge in the nation's capital - previously called a 'rat-infested shithole' by President Trump - was three times greater than in Boston and 150 percent of the surge in New York City. In contrast, Tokyo, Louisville and New Orleans showed declining rat populations, with New Orleans experiencing the most significant decrease over the study period. Dallas and St. Louis did not show notable changes.
Take a guess what the authors claim is the reason for the increases.
Go ahead - take a guess - I'll wait over here...
It's not globull warming it's garbage they're after.
ReplyDeleteCan't fool them rats; they know where the best pickings are.
ReplyDeleteRats or 'crats?
ReplyDeletesame thing
DeleteEasy to call BS on the rat study. The world is currently on a cooling cycle. My theory on increased rats is the increase of garbage in those cities.
ReplyDeleteDuring the black plague in Europe of the early to mid 1300's, rat populations soared as the temps were still high from the late Roman warming period and easier travel from the east where plagues were endemic. Bad time for us all. Then we entered the Little Ice Age of the 1350's to 1850's. Plagues were fewer but cold caused a lot more disruptions. If only our multi-great grandparents had not polluted things with their turbo donkey carts, everything would have been perfect. Now the globe is coming out of the Little Ice Age and thus returning to the more normal high temps, and we see rats flourishing in D.C. The place is rife with them. Then, too, there are the 4-legged critters disparagingly called rats, and there are a lot more of them...
ReplyDeleteA good while back DC outlawed the use of poison or traps to kill rats. You were supposed to catch them and then release them somewhere else. Nuts
ReplyDeleteIt can't have anything to do with the fact that much of Washington, DC has been a no-go ghetto for decades that grows a little larger every year.
ReplyDeleteWell DJT is already on his way to getting rid of a lot of the rats in DC. Once they are gone the replacements can spend time on the rodent problem.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone ever heard of the term "Swamp Rat"? Well, DC is our biggest and filthiest swamp. The "rats" on Capitol Hill are not going away either...
ReplyDeleteThey tried to get rid of their outdoor cats, a few years ago...
ReplyDeletePris cilla King