Edinburgh's rat population soars to more than one million in 2020 amid winter warning from expert

Edinburgh’s rat population has surged to more than one million in 2020, according to a new report.
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The Capital was ranked seventh in a UK league table of cities with the highest rat populations by pest control firm Pest.co.uk.

They say the numbers of rats in the infestations they have been called to have been 25 percent larger this year compared to last.

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Edinburgh, with an estimated 1.1 million rats, is above Liverpool in the list but three places below Glasgow which has an estimated 1.3 million of the rodents.

A rat foraging for food.A rat foraging for food.
A rat foraging for food.

London has by far the highest with 19.9 million.

Jenny Rathbone, of the Edinburgh Pest Control Company, said: “We are seeing a huge increase in rat problems throughout Edinburgh as lockdown has really helped them breed in relative peace with closed properties with poor waste management practices providing them with plentiful food and shelter.”

Ms Rathbone told the Evening News previously that a cold winter and further Covid-19 lockdowns could create a “perfect storm” of rodent infestations.

She has urged residents and businesses across edinburgh to take proactive measures before winter really hits.

These measures include:

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- Filling gaps in brickwork, shed doors and holes on external walls of your home including cellars and attics.

- Emptying unused cupboards of bags, clothes, rags and keep them clean.

- Make sure food is not left out, tidy away any open food sources and keep worktops and floors clean of crumbs

- By leaving out rat traps you can pre-empt any future infestation, however it is better to bait with official rat poison than leaving food scraps out

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Ms Rathbone said: “The main thing to remember is rats need food and shelter to breed, so any food source should be quickly cleaned away – keeping bin and yard areas clean and tidy is key to keeping rats under control.”

Pest.co.uk estimates the population of rats in the UK has increased by 30 million in a year to 150 million, and there are now thought to be 2.2 rats for every person.

Pest.co.uk is a pest control company which specialises in humane and organic pest control methods in Edinburgh.

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