Rising Rodent Issue in NYC

A rat pictured on a NYC Subway Platform. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

Author: Giomaris Hill

School: Midwood High School

Publication Date: July 19, 2023

From train tracks to sidewalks to inside homes, rats have been constantly spotted around New York City; at record numbers at that. As quoted from an article written by The Atlantic’s Xochitl Gonzalez(2023) by James Pasley(2023) from The Insider, it is estimated that the rat population is around 2 million across 90% of New York City. With such a large population of these rodents, citizens have demanded local leaders to pose a solution.

According to the official website of New York City, Mayor Adams has appointed a new director of rat mitigation Kathleen Coradi. New York City’s first “rat czar” is tasked with working with other New York City agencies and programs to aid in decreasing the rat population in the city. This new mission has been given an investment of $3.5 million to work on a rat mitigation zone in Harlem. This zone includes tens of thousands of properties many call home; alongside various parks and schools. In addition, staff has been hired to aid the situation in any and all ways possible.

To assist this initiative, it’s suggested that New Yorkers keep the streets clean by placing waste in appropriate places such as trash bins, avoiding feeding wildlife, and covering any rat-sized holes.

Left to right: Rats scavenging for food in a NYC garbage can, (Charlie Hamilton James/National Geographic); A rat roaming the sidewalks of manhattan on a rainy day (REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo); Rats spotted on subway tracks at the Union Square station (Michael Appleton/The New York Times);

RESEARCH, NOTES, OR BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Gonzalez, X. (2023, May 9). New York’s rats have already won. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/03/new-york-city-rat-infestation-politics/673250/

Mayor Adams Anoints Kathleen Corradi as NYC’s first-ever “rat czar.” The official website of the City of New York. (2023, April 12). https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/249-23/mayor-adams-anoints-kathleen-corradi-nyc-s-first-ever-rat-czar-#/0

Pasley, J. (2023, March 18). How the rat population in New York City grew by 800% and infested the city in less than 65 years. Insider. https://www.insider.com/new-york-city-explosive-increase-rats-over-last-65-years-2023-3