Call us for a quote on +448082562855
Rise of the Rats
Scurrying in the shadows, lurking in sewers or hiding in burrows, you can be sure that in any where there are people, there are almost certainly rats.
Known for their fierce survival instincts, brown rats prefer to build their burrows in urban sewers and the dwellings of humans, eating one-fifth of foodstuffs planted every year, but contaminating far more. In major cities like London and Birmingham, some experts say they are as many rats as there are people, while more conservative estimates put the ratio closer to one rat for every four humans. To fully understand how the rise of the rats has happened, you must understand the staggering rate at which rats can reproduce.
Swipe the images below to see how quickly two rats can breed in an ideal environment
2
10
50
250
1,248
6,232
31,120
155,400
776,000
3,875,008
19,350,112
96,626,080
482,508,800
Rat reproduction facts
Why don’t rats outnumber people?
The speed at which rats can breed is frightening, but there are many factors that help to stop a population from exploding out of control. In a real world scenario, the death rate usually increases as the size of the rat population grows. Whenever food or space is limited, mortality is higher, which partially keeps the rate of population growth in check.
The rise of the rats in numbers
Rat call-outs: 2015 vs 2016
Rentokil saw an increase in rat-related enquiries from 2015 to 2016. In both years, there was a spike of rat call-outs around May.
Which businesses are most likely to be affected by rats?
Based on over 100 enquiries made to Rentokil.
Contact Us
-
References
Auerbach, J. (2014). Does New York City Really Have as Many Rats as People?. Significance, Volume 11 (4), p. 22–27.
Chace, Z. and Dzotsi, E. (2016). Becoming A Badger. This American Life.
Long, J.L. (2003). Introduced Mammals of the World: Their History, Distribution and Influence.
Further Information
Rat Control
Rat Control Solutions for Businesses