Vancouver's ratty reputation takes centre stage at New York rat summit
While rats are a horrifying sight for locals, research into potentially disease-carrying rodents is why Vancouver is seen as one of the international leaders in rat science, according to experts.
BC experts were recently in New York City to speak about their work with the Vancouver Rat Project. Kaylee Byers, an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University, was one of the speakers at the Inaugural National Urban Rat Summit, and only one of three Canadians invited to speak.Ā
She explained to Daily Hive that the project was started over a decade ago by UBC’s Dr. Chelsea Himsworth, and Byers work specifically studies the issue in the Downtown Eastside. People living in the area are “more likely to be precariously housed ā¦ and might have been spending more time in close contact with rats,” Byers said, which means the health risks might be greater.
Within the project’s first phase, Byers said the team was able to trap and test rats in the neighbourhood for several diseases (specifically those that could be transmitted to people).
One of the most significant findings was that diseases among rats were clustered by city blocks.
“So some city blocks had rats. All the rats had a disease, essentially. And then you walked across the block, and none of them had that disease. And we’re like, why is that?” she said.
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As the project entered its second phase, Byers joined the teams to study rat ecology “and look specifically at rat movement.”
“What we found was that rats didn’t move all that far,” she said. “We found that rats mostly just sort of stayed within a city block, which is probably why we see this clustering of disease.”
SFU researchers have also studied the policy, management, and mental health impacts of rats.
“I realized everybody had a story about rats, and some were really impactful,” Byers said.
So, after speaking to 20 residents about their experiences, SFU researchers found that rats impacted people in several ways.
“They were afraid of them; they made them feel anxious. They also led to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness because they might not have the power to manage rats themselves,” Byers said. “And a lack of action by the Cityā¦ spoke to a neglect of the community in general.”
She added that the same impacts happened outside of Vancouver, like in Chicago, where people said rats in backyards keep people from using their space and feeling safe outside “and affect how we think about where we live.”
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Considering the lack of research into rats until now, Byers said it means Vancouver is an international leader in understanding urban rat ecology and risks.
In New York, Byers and her colleague discussed their research and workshopped ideas with municipal leaders in sewage, waste management, public parks and housing.
“We got together and said, what do we know about urban rat management? What do we know is challenging? Where do we need to go? And it was really looking at what long-term sustainable management strategies are.”
Byers told Daily Hive she does not believe Vancouver will ever be rid of rats, but she said there are ways to manage them. However, everyone (including residents) needs to help.
She said many changes must be made in the city as rats continue roaming the region. Some of them include waste management services, rethinking the use of rodenticides, and revitalizing infrastructure. Plus, continue studying these animals and getting a clearer picture of where they are.
“We do not track rat infestations in a systematic way across the city. We’ve only really done our work in the Downtown Eastside, and we rely on calls to 311, the city’s municipal reporting line, or a call to pest control professionals to get a sense of where complaints are.
“Both those data systems are very flawed. You know, most people won’t call 311, to report rats. They wouldn’t necessarily think to and you’re only gonna call a pest control professional if you don’t have money to pay somebody to deal with your rats. And so they’re, they’re helpful sources of data, but they’re not perfect,” she said.
To learn more about the project, head here.Ā