The text is a transcript of a report on the rise of rat infestations in cities across the United States, particularly in Washington D.C. and New York City. The report is presented by Courtney Norris and produced by Deborah Hastings.
The report begins with Gerard Brown, a rodent abatement program leader in D.C., expressing concern about the increasing rat population in the city. He attributes this to the pandemic, which led to rats entering residential areas from closed restaurants and other establishments. Brown's team responds to rat sightings by treating the area with rat poison and covering the holes.
The report also mentions that Washington D.C. was ranked fourth on a list of the most rat-infested cities in America, behind Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. This makes Washington D.C. the second most rat-infested city on the East Coast.
Renowned urban rodentologist Bobby Corrigan is quoted as saying that many cities are dealing with a similar issue. He characterizes the situation as a slow boil that has been ongoing for 50 years, but not being paid close attention to the numbers scientifically. He also mentions that the issue has been considered a vermin problem rather than a wildlife species.
The report also includes a personal account from D.C. resident Joel Edwards, who moved to his current neighborhood in Northeast D.C. in 2020. Since then, he has been dealing with trying to poison rats outside his house and finding giant dead rats all around.
In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams declared rats as public enemy number one in 2022. Rats sightings were up 71% from 2020 to 2022. Kathy Corradi, the first-ever citywide director of rodent mitigation in New York City, is focused on reducing the number of rats across all five boroughs. As part of New York's city-wide approach, restaurants, bodegas, delis, and grocery stores are now required to dispose of trash in secure containers, rather than directly on the street.
The report concludes with a quote from Bobby Corrigan, who suggests that the rat has added 25 to 30 years to human longevity as a species. He also encourages people to think about how to manage rats when they see one, rather than just thinking about how to get rid of them.
1. The text is a report about the rise in rat infestation in Washington D.C. and other cities.
2. Gerard Brown has led D.C. Health's rodent abatement program for 22 years.
3. Rats have become more unpredictable, especially during the pandemic.
4. Rats have started coming into residential areas from closed restaurants and other places.
5. Washington D.C. is ranked fourth on the list of America's most rat-infested cities.
6. Bobby Corrigan, a renowned urban rodentologist, says many cities are dealing with a similar issue.
7. Rats are considered a vermin issue instead of a wildlife species.
8. D.C. has experienced an uptick in rat extermination calls.
9. When rats are reported, Brown's team heads to the site to treat the scene, putting rat poison inside burrows and covering holes.
10. D.C. resident Joel Edwards has been dealing with rats since he moved to the neighborhood in Northeast D.C. in 2020.
11. Other cities across the U.S. have been tackling the same rat problem.
12. In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams declared rats public enemy number one last year.
13. Rat sightings were up 71% from 2020 to 2022.
14. Kathy Corradi is the first-ever citywide director of rodent mitigation in New York City.
15. In the new role, her sole focus is reducing the number of rats across all five boroughs.
16. As part of New York's city-wide approach, restaurants, bodegas, delis, and grocery stores are now required to dispose of trash in secure containers, rather than directly on the street.
17. In the last three months, the city has seen a 20% decline in rat sightings.
18. In D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser allocated $3.4 million in next year's fiscal budget to begin replacing all residents' trash cans over the next eight years.
19. For Joel Edwards, that's a welcomed move.
20. After several visits from D.C. Health, hiring a pest control company, and a home renovation to seal off holes, he's had some relief in the last few months.
21. Bobby Corrigan says the rat has added 25, maybe 30 years to our longevity as a species.