Derry's riverside rats 'enjoying five star all-inclusive holiday'
Footage of the rats first emerged last week. There have been further daily sightings over recent days.DCSDC said they had acted following an escalation in rodent activity in the area.It has "implemented immediate measures to assist local landowners and businesses to address this issue".
Ms Page told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme there would always be rats on the riverfront."If you have food and water and harbourage, you have a perfect storm there for rat activity," she said."They have all their needs, it's like a five star all-inclusive holiday for them, they have even got the sunshine."When you see rats out and about during the day and in those numbers, then I am afraid you have a significant rat infestation."She urged the Derry public and business to play their part in getting rid of the rats.
"A lot of it is to do with us, people leaving food behind. Remove the food and the harbourage and they won't be secure, they will go," she said."It's vital people don't leave any rubbish behind, that businesses' bins are not overfilled."
However the scale of the colony means a controlled riddance programme will most likely be required, she added."They have a right to live, but you do not want to send those rats everywhere. You do not want them to scatter," she said.
The council said site assessments have been carried out by its environmental health team.That investigation determined the rodents had been using the planters as routes to travel from their nesting area to access food sources."The council is taking proactive steps to ensure the swift resolution of this situation, including the removal of some of planters in order to disrupt these pathways," a council spokeswoman added.
Foyle SDLP assembly Mark H Durkan filmed the rats he encountered while out running."I run the quay regularly and have done for years. I have seen the odd little four-legged friend – that is to be expected on the riverfront – but never anything like this," he said."You can't have a rat population like this in an area used so much by the public. I would ask everyone to be careful about what they do with their litter."
'Rat numbers are exploding'
David Greer is a certified field biologist who runs his own pest control business in County Antrim.He told BBC News NI the situation on the riverfront in Derry was playing out in other areas."As a business we can't keep up with demand for our services," he said. "Rat numbers are exploding, their numbers are greater than we have seen for some time. Once it gets out of control, it is very hard to get it back."
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