Urban Rats

An Australian study shows that cats help some endangered animals survive. On Australian islands where cats were eliminated, rat populations rose exponentially. Rats are notorious for eating bird eggs, and a result bird populations on those islands were becoming extinct. They also increase biodiversity, because predators are more likely to kill animals that have a higher population. For example, Shrews and birds both

Rat infestations have swarmed throughout the world, looking for food, and spreading diseases, so of course people attempt to get rid of them. First off, they spread disease. It states in Source 1, “Around 60% of the rodents carry Weil's disease...” This quote states that the majority of all rodents, have Weil’s disease. That means that if you see a rat, it is probably infected with disease. This is incredibly dangerous for people walking the street, or someone without a home. That person who does not have a home, could get a disease very easily. The rats can carry disease and they can spread that disease, it even states in Source 4, “It was this rat which ushered in the Black Plague.” In this piece, they are speaking of Black Rats. These rats were probably one of the unlucky 60%, or it was a carrier something that was on them.

In the beginning, the author introduces the nutria rat also known as coypu, it was first brought into the U.S. in 1899 in California for the fur industry. These creatures now live in 15 other states including Louisiana. They were released into “Louisiana wild by state and federal agencies to provide a new fur resource and to control problem plants such as the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides)” ( 1). It did not take long for them

In the article about the rats it talked about how construction and the mild winter caused reasons for the rat surge. I would expand on this section of the article and go into more detail as to why. Also, I would get in contact with a construction worker who has experienced rats and their views.

An outbreak has not occurred in a long time and hopefully it will remain that way with the addition of new technology and medicine in the health department, much research and observing previous cases and more knowledge spread to those who are susceptible to the disease. It dates back many years, and is still present today. This means the number of rats, in every city, needs to be maintained and carefully watched. We need to be more cautious of cleanliness within our homes and public areas as to not attract

When rats carry diseases they become a great threat to other lives [dogs, cats, and humans] (Davison, Source 1). This was seen when the Black Death wiped out 30-60% of Europe’s population during the late Middle Ages. In source 2, by Victoria Gill it states, “A once in a generation, gigantic plague of rats, that ruins crops and leaves people starving.” This is a that is a danger because humans could starve to death without food. Rats are eating and destroying important items in your house (Schattenberg, Source 3).

The articles, “Ah, rats” by John Byrne and “Chicago Is a Rat's” are about how the rat population has started to grow since 2013, because of mild winters.The article states that Chicago is the No. 1 place in the United States where rats live. Through the July of 2012, 28% more people called than in 2011 the city’s 311 center asking for crews to come out and get rid of these annoying pests.I feel, that rats and other rodents are a threat to the Chicagoland area, because the pests carry various diseases and potentially start a plague or an epidemic.A main point was that since Chicago is so densely populated it means that there is a higher percentage chance for unsanitary streets in the city which will result in more rodents and vermin crawling

The first article chosen to review is ‘Population dynamics of house mice in Queensland grain- growing areas, 2013, Wildlife Research, 40, 661–674 by Anthony Pople, Joe Scanlan, Peter Cremasco, and Julianne Farrell’. This article focuses on the population field mice in the Darling Downs. This region of Australia is an extremely arable district in south eastern Queensland that has lost the majority of its native vegetation cover to agriculture (Fensham and Fairfax, 1997). The theme of this ecological topic demonstrates how a population of a species can increase due to the availability of food, and the methods to reduce numbers via poison baiting.

The Red-Crested Tree-Rat is thought (because only three have been seen) to only exist in Colombia. Its natural habitat is moist tropical Colombian forests. The tree rat as only been seen at altitudes of 700 to 2,300m in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta making it hard to find. The location is isolated and a lot of the animals living here are only found here. The habitat of the the Santamartamys is sadly suffering degradation.

Rodent populations proliferate in some parts of Texas, Paul Schattenberg, some homeowners were being invaded in their homes and in their fields eat out the burned out areas that were trying the recover from when wildfires happen. “And with the regrowth of vegetation, the rats and mice have had an ample food source and are reproducing quickly” Bauer said. People in Texas were informing people that the rats were chewing on their wires in and outside of their homes. But when the rats start chewing on the wires, it is a bad thing because it causes fires to happen and it could end up killing someone. They also destroy other items like their water hoses and make holes, their clothing, the floors, and the wooden doors. These things don’t just happen in Texas and could happen anywhere. It depends on where the rats want to go and what they are going to

Background information necessary to know before completing this lab are habitat destruction and human population.

Rodents can be found everywhere on earth. Among the several different types of rodents, the ones that mostly prefer to live near humans, being the most numerous, are the mice and rats. They live in colonies which comprise of complex hierarchies, wherein they form deep bonds, often putting their own lives at risk to save family and friends. Their best habitats are cavities, holes inside walls, in sewer pipes, in stores where foodstuffs are kept, in the fields and in garbage dumps. As a matter of fact, they love to live anywhere food is available and is convenient for them to put up a nest. In addition, they can easily adjust to any kind of climate and even wipe out original mammals occupying the same niche.

New york is probably known as one of the most rat infested city. There are many programs that try to end the rat dilemma, but the rat population is so large that it’s hard to control. Not only are rats found on the train, they are also found in neighborhoods such as the Bronx. Many people complain about the rat situation to the city, but the homeowners take no action when it’s time to clean up their own mess (Bragdon et al., 2007-2009). Many of the rats that are seen all over the city are huge, and go crawling around for any food that they can find, mainly in trash cans.

Urbanisation poses a threat to wildlife through habitat destruction and population fragmentation. As a consequence, urbanisation alters the distribution of species. Yet, urbanisation creates opportunities for some species to thrive and persist in the urban jungle. Many species have adapted to urban areas across the globe. However, not all animals living in urban areas adapt to urban life and instead might be confined to refugia that match the pre-existing adaptation to natural conditions. Therefore, studying the occurrence and persistence of wildlife in urban areas might provide an understanding how some species can survive urbanisation (Chace & Walsh 2006; Sih 2013; Sol et al. 2013; Fontúrbel & Tarifa 2013).

A Slum refers to informal settlements within urban areas or cities. The informal settlements depict inadequate housing and miserable condition with reference to living standards (Meade p 43). In the slums, numerous individuals seek housing facilities within small living spaces. The slums also lack basic local authority services such as sanitation, collection of waste, water, drainage systems, street lighting, and emergency roads. Most slums also lack schools, hospital, and public places that might offer adequate environment for social amenities. The experience of France illustrates the essence of slums within the modern society (Oberti p 58). Crime and unemployment are on the rise within the slums because of the poor