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New York City is escalating its long-standing battle against its prolific rat population, deploying new strategies that range from high-tech mapping to sterilisation programmes in an effort to curb the infestation. The city, which has faced criticism from residents weary of rodents roaming the streets and subway tunnels, is now combining aggressive pest control with public education campaigns to address the root causes of the problem.
Officials say their latest measures go far beyond the traditional methods of suffocating rats in their burrows. Caroline Bragdon, director of neighbourhood interventions at the Department of Health’s Pest Control Services, explained that reducing food availability forces the rodents to travel further or limits their reproduction. “Fewer rats over time means less breeding and less activity,” she said.
Harlem has become a testing ground for the city’s arsenal of new approaches, including sealed waste containers, targeted baiting, and advanced monitoring through a rat tracker app. The app allows the city’s 70 inspectors to log sightings, map rodent activity, and coordinate abatement efforts in real time. Inspectors also go door to door, urging residents and businesses to clean up food waste and maintain hygiene standards.
For a metropolis of 8.5 million people, the challenge is daunting. Rats thrive on the same diet as humans, consuming everything from leftover food to crumbs and discarded drink cans. With the capacity to produce up to 12 offspring per litter and as many as seven litters a year, a single rat can have a significant impact in its short lifespan.
City leaders are banking on a cultural shift in waste management to tip the balance. Since the launch of a “trash revolution” in 2022, sealed bins have begun replacing black refuse bags on pavements, significantly reducing easy access to food scraps. Local resident Karen Del Aguila said the change has been noticeable, adding that she no longer feels the need to dodge trash piles to avoid rats.
The approach appears to be yielding results. According to official figures, rat complaints fell by 25 per cent in 2024 compared with the previous year. Some areas, like Manhattan’s Chinatown, have successfully brought infestations under control, but officials say much more work is needed before the victory can be declared citywide. Bragdon remains optimistic, calling 2025 a potential “turnaround year” in New York’s war on rats.
