When National Geographic (NG) Channel films a program on the habits of native species you know it’s big. Rat Genius aired in 2006, videoed in none other than the District of Columbia documenting our supernumerary rat life. While rats are found on every continent and thrive in every climate, Rat Genius estimated there were as many rats in D.C. as District residents. While the program advocates the critical need that humans must change their behavior, the program alone has made little impact on District behavior to date.

The District Department of Health Rodent and Vector Control has begun a new city wide campaign of Public Service Announcements added to their ongoing education program to emphasize how essential individual behavior changes are beginning in the home, at work, and even how/ where people dispose of food containers in public places.

The more interaction rats have with humans—and its been thousands of years– the more they know us and have ‘back up’ plans and alternate strategies, according to Rat Genius. That means that the best way to fend off rat proliferation is to minimize garbage and overgrown habitat. Always tightly cover your garbage, take garbage outdoors for pickup as late as possible, reduce lush and low ground covers where rats burrow, propagate, and hide.

For those living in apartment complexes, note that trash should be wrapped and tied when thrown down chutes to help management keep their trash areas clean while awaiting trash removal.

Outdoor public areas where people gather to eat may also attract a late night seating. Indubitably, food remains by design such as feeding the pigeons, in the worst case by carelessness and negligence, but even trash receptacles offer unstressed banqueting for our furry subterranean neighbors.

Rats are incredibly smart. They memorize and think. They communicate with each other and are always adapting to human behavior. They are physically strong, incredibly flexible and can squeeze through tiny gaps. They have high endurance and quickly propagate. Education leading to behavior modification is the only way to reduce the rat population here that has no predators but an unending food supply. —FBN

Rat Facts:

TEN TIPS to Minimize RODENT ACTIVITY in this Weeks FBN»