In parks, on sidewalks and in the subway. The problem with New York's rats has led some residents to no longer let their children walk around in the city, writes AFP. To get to grips with the problem of rodents, the authorities have started using high-tech tools to map and sterilize the rats. In addition, the public is being trained in waste management, to avoid giving the rats nourishment.
The hope is that less nourishment will result in fewer offspring, according to an official in the city's health department.
In the Harlem neighborhood, new, sealed trash cans have been introduced, among other things. Something that Harlem resident Karen Del Aguila sees as positive:
Lately, I haven't felt like I need to run between the trash piles to escape the rats, she says to the news agency.
A rat needs about 28 grams of food per day and can have up to twelve rat pups per litter. During its lifetime, a rat can have up to seven litters of young and the best way to limit the spread is to stop the influx of food.
The city monitors the rodents' activity with the help of an app and officials and inspectors then go around and ask both companies and individuals to help with cleaning.
