Alberta's Rat Wars

[Coelacanth18]

An article came up in my news feed about Alberta's constant efforts to keep the Canadian province rat-free. How do they do it? With prompt local reporting, focus on populated areas, and around $300,000 a year. The article also talks about New Zealand's ambitious plans to wipe out rats and some mammalian carnivores by 2050:

How Alberta Won the Rat Race

 

[DavidBrown]

This is fascinating. It is heartening to see that some regions of the world might be de-ratted. Thanks for posting.

 

[Hyak_II]

I can attest, the de-ratting efforts work extremely well.

 

[Coelacanth18]

From what I understand, Alberta *does* have something of a geographic advantage in that it has mountains to the west and taiga to the north... but yes, given a good reporting/tracking system and not too high a financial investment, I don't see why programs like this couldn't at least help reduce numbers in other locations.

 

[Zoovolunteer]

In the UK there have been successful eradication of rats from 2 of the Scilly Isles off the coast of Cornwall, Lundy in the Bristol channel, and the Shiant islands in the Scottish Hebrides. Seabird populations have since risen on all islands.

 

[Andrew Swales]

The article only mentions Arsenic, and surely they are not still using that?
What do they use, that works so well - does anyone know?
Rats are now a major issue in the UK and Europe, and many zoo goers will have noticed. This appears to be the result of the EU lobbied by environmentalists, reducing and diluting the poisons available - so it would be very interesting to know the detail ref Canada.

 

[Coelacanth18]

Here is a very informational article on the Alberta government's website about the history of rat control in Alberta: History of rat control in Alberta

The article only mentions Arsenic, and surely they are not still using that?
What do they use, that works so well - does anyone know?

According to the government article above, the most common rat poison now used is warfarin.

 

[Batto]

in the UK and Europe,

Despite Brexit, your island is still a part of Europe, at least geographically.

 

[Arizona Docent]

At least they don't have this kind of ratt problem

 

[Andrew Swales]

Despite Brexit, your island is still a part of Europe, at least geographically.

Yes .. sorry, I should have dropped in the prefix 'mainland'...

 

[Pertinax]

In the UK there have been successful eradication of rats from 2 of the Scilly Isles off the coast of Cornwall, Lundy in the Bristol channel, and the Shiant islands in the Scottish Hebrides. Seabird populations have since risen on all islands.

These projects have also likely resulted in the extinction of the Black Rat(Ship Rat) in the British Isles.

 

[Zoovolunteer]

These projects have also likely resulted in the extinction of the Black Rat(Ship Rat) in the British Isles.

Since they are a non-native species and as far from globally endangered as it is possible to get, I am not sorry about that. Now if only we could do the same for Brown Rat as well.