When we think about New York City, we often think about things being super-sized. From the buildings to the attitudes, it just seems as if the entire area was built to be large. You can take things a step further now that the giant rats have shown up. The rats are as large as small cats and are causing a lot of different problems, from chewing through wires to nesting in trees, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. In fact, it is thought that the cost of removing these giant rats could run into the thousands before it all over.
Just how bad is the rat problem in New York? So far in 2020, there have been almost 13,000 complaints, compared to only 9,042 in all of last year. In an effort to handle the problem, the Health Department in NYC has set up a 2-hour livestream, known as the ‘Rat Academy’. There were a number of superintendents, tenants and homeowners that showed up for the class. Interestingly, this isn’t anything new. They have been holding these classes for about a decade. There are even some that are considered to have their Ph.D., just from watching these livestreams from their living room sofa.
Plague of Giant Rats Attacks New York City Diners After Corona Famine #rat #plague #NYC #restaurants https://t.co/0Wu9ph61ZS via @Strange_Sounds pic.twitter.com/8jv9J62u1H
— Strange Sounds (@Strange_Sounds) July 12, 2020
The problem with the rats is that they are streetsmart. If there is an effort to do something about them, they figure out a way to get around it. According to some who live on the Upper West Side, such as Melanie Sloan, Central Park is overrun with the vermin. Some people have gone to great lengths to save their property and vehicles from the damage they cause.
It is thought that the problem may be associated with more homelessness, less street cleaning and outdoor dining due to the pandemic. It is going to take a combined effort between the Department of Sanitation and those that live and work in the city to get things cleaned up and get the issue under control.