A pest controller has discovered a giant rat measuring 22 inches (nearly 56 cm) in a home in Normanby, Teesside. The rodent, which is deceased, surpasses the 21-inch 'Dorset mega-rat' found in 2018, making it one of the largest rats ever recorded in the UK.
Local councillor David Taylor described the find as a symptom of a growing problem, pointing to overflowing public bins and overgrown vegetation as contributing factors. 'It is a growing issue,' he said, emphasising the need for better waste management.
The discovery comes amid a global surge in rat populations. Research published in January found significant increases in 11 major cities, including a 390% rise in Washington DC, 300% in San Francisco, and 186% in Toronto. New York City, estimated to have 3 million rats, has appointed a 'rat tsar' to tackle the issue.
In the UK, similar conditions such as warmer temperatures and urban growth are driving rat numbers. Cuts to bin collections have exacerbated the problem, with a recent strike in Birmingham creating a 'banquet' of refuse for rodents.
Rats pose serious risks, including infrastructure damage, food contamination costing an estimated $27bn in the US alone, and transmission of around 50 zoonotic diseases such as salmonella and leptospirosis. Infestations also negatively impact mental health.
Despite control measures like poisoning, trapping, and experimental birth control, rats remain highly fertile and adaptable. The Normanby specimen is an outlier, as most rats are only 6-11 inches long, but it underscores the challenges of managing urban rodent populations.
