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I recently accompanied Justin Summers, our Washington Branch Manager, to New York City. We were attending the NYC Rodent Control Academy for three days of instruction by famed rodentologist, Dr. Bobby Corrigan. Most tourists to the Big Apple go to see Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, etc. We explored some landmarks as well; Theatre Alley, Trinity Church and Battery Park to name a few. The difference is we were not just taking in the sights. We sought a glimpse into the world of urban rats.

It is no secret that New York City or most other major urban areas have established populations of Norway rats. The problems associated with keeping rat populations low in New York City are directly related to the human population. The human population density of New York City is estimated between 27 to 40 THOUSAND people per square mile. Those people have to eat which means restaurants are everywhere. These restaurants generate mountains of trash every single day. Ever seen a picture of a street in lower Manhattan? How many trash receptacles do you see along the sidewalks? Not enough. How about dumpsters? A rare item in Manhattan as there is no room for them. One pound of food scraps can feed up to 22 rats per night. How much trash does forty thousand people generate a day? At night, these mountains of trash are piled up on curbs along every street and garbage trucks, both public and private, remove it all by morning. This, Dr. Corrigan refers to as "the zone"- where food and harborage coincide.

The problem is made even more complex by the other support mechanisms for that immense population. NYC is the largest conglomeration of infrastructure in North America. Imagine how much of a modern city's infrastructure is inaccessible to most of its population - sewers, steam tunnels, utility conduits, defunct subway lines, etc. Over 33 systems in all - possibly below your feet. This is a myriad of possible harborages and pathways for the burrowing machine that is the Norway rat. But, a modern city is concrete and steel, how does the rat reach these areas? They chew their way there. The word "rodent" means "to gnaw". Robert Sullivan writes in his book, "Rats" that "in terms of hardness, the brown rat's teeth are stronger than aluminum, copper, lead, and iron. They are comparable to steel. With the alligator-like structure of their jaws, rats can exert a biting pressure of up to seven thousand pounds per square inch."

So, how will New Yorkers rid themselves of the Norway rat menace? New York City was established in 1625 and the Norway rat came ashore there shortly after. They've had over two centuries and hundreds of generations surviving and adapting to life in the Big Apple. Oddly enough, most rats in New York City are not killed by man. They kill themselves. Most die from stress caused by intraspecies competition for food and territorial fighting. The cold, hard truth is, in spite of the best efforts of professionals like Dr. Corrigan, the Norway rat will always be there in the shadows and underfoot, out of sight and mind to most except those that seek it out.

Rat Myth: Rats in New York are not as big as cats. A large Norway rat in NYC measures about 16 in. from nose to end of tail and weighs in about 12-16 oz. (same as a large rat around an Indiana grain bin).

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