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Health authorities have been warned about rat plague

Drive around your residential area and look at the rubbish and litter lying around

EDITOR – With reference to the two letters on the plague of rats on the Bluff published in the Southlands Sun dated 9 August, allow me to respond.

About two years ago I gave a talk at the Yellowwood Conservancy on the rat problems we are experiencing in the Yellowwood Park area. The rats are known as the brown rat and sometimes referred to as the Norwegian rat.

Rather interestingly, they can be found in most parts of South Africa today.

Despite repeated requests to the various health authorities, the rat problem is getting worse by the day. Just drive around your residential area and look at the rubbish and litter lying around. Also do not forget to look at the state of our water drains along our roads.

The brown rat thrives in such areas as they prefer to search for food in all kinds of rubbish, especially in sewers drains. The rubbish bins provided at the Yellowwood Park shopping centre are far too small to hold all the rubbish that is dumped.

PIETER DU PLESSIS

Brown Rat

Also known as the Norwegian Rat

The brown rat is thought to have originated in China and is one of the largest of all rats and mice and can reach a length of 25cm. The weight of the male averages 350g while the female can weigh 250g.

They breed throughout the year in favourable conditions and a single female can produce up to five litters a year. Each litter number can be up to 14. They reach sexual maturity in only five weeks.

Diseases: The rat can carry a plethora of organisms responsible for diseases such as toxoplasmosis, listeriosis, Q fever and Hataan fever, among others. These diseases can be passed on to humans through contact with rat droppings or urine. The rat is also a host to a flea which is very dangerous to humans.

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