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Study Finds Rats Are Winning the Rat Race

New York rated most vulnerable to boom in rodent population
By Zach Samalin,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 4, 2007 1:15 PM CDT
Study Finds Rats Are Winning the Rat Race
Rodentacide   ((c) miss_rogue)

Rodent experts labeled New York the US city most open to large-scale rat infestation today, after conducting a nationwide survey that took into account climate, waste management, population density, and age of infrastructure, Reuters reports. New York's appearance atop comes months after a KFC/Taco Bell restaurant was overrun by rats and closed. Houston and Boston round out the top three.

"This isn't a top-10 list you want to be on, but in many cities rodents are doing very well today," said Dale Kaukeinen, who led the survey. Metropolitan areas grew dramatically in the 1990s, and the rodent population boomed, too, aided by lowered spending on eradication. "If you have a garbage strike," Kaukeinen said, "the rat population will explode." (More rats stories.)

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