Latest news with #KarenWickerson
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Alberta rat control investigating possible rodent sighting in Calgary
Alberta takes its "rat-free" status seriously. The province says it's reviewed footage of what is potentially a rat in the southeast Calgary community of Inglewood — and unlike many other reports in which people mistake other rodents for rats, this one looks like the real deal. Karen Wickerson, rat and pest specialist with the Government of Alberta, said her team is "pretty confident" the animal seen in the footage, which was not shared with CBC News, is a roof rat. "We define ourselves as rat-free, and what that means is we do not allow rats to permanently establish in the province," she said. "If they do make their way into the province, we have a program to control them." WATCH | Inglewood investigation continues after possible rat sighting: Alberta's rat control program, which marked its 75th anniversary this year, investigates all reported rat sightings. The province's investigation into the Inglewood rat sighting includes laying out traps to capture the rodent and going door-to-door to speak with residents. "We've placed bait stations that just have snap traps in them to try and catch it, to confirm whether it is or isn't a roof rat," said Wickerson. Roof rats and Norway rats Roof rats are one of two rats considered pests in Alberta alongside Norway rats, which are considered the most common rats in the Prairies. "A Norway rat is a burrowing rat, and initially that was the rat that the province was most concerned about when they declared them a pest in 1950," said Wickerson. Roof rats — also known as ship rats — are slightly smaller and tend to arrive from British Columbia, according to the province. The presence of either Norway or roof rats in Alberta is not tolerated. A 600-kilometre rat control zone has been in place along the Alberta-Saskatchewan border since the 1950s to keep the pests from entering Canada's only rat-free province. "We do not have established populations of them in the province," said Wickerson. The rodents often hitch rides on vehicles coming in from other provinces, said Wickerson, with most that end up in Alberta arriving dead or dying. "It wouldn't be a pleasant drive in the engine interior area of a vehicle for eight hours," she said. Part of the Inglewood investigation involves speaking with residents to find out if they've seen the rat or any related evidence, and to ask them to report any relevant information to the province. "Public education is a big part of the success of the program, so we encourage people to report a rat sighting to us if they think they see a rat," said Wickerson. Inglewood resident Jerome Woo said he hadn't been aware of the rodent sighting, and that while he's seen other rodents like mice in Calgary, he's never seen a rat in the city. "It would be nice to keep that little benefit going," said Woo. 31 rats confirmed in Alberta last year Provincial data shows that of 616 rat reports received in 2024, only 31 turned out to be rats. Among the remaining 585 reports, 163 sightings were identified as muskrats. Muskrats are among multiple rodent species that can be misidentified as Norway and roof rats, along with native wildlife like voles, pocket gophers, kangaroo rats and bushy-tailed wood rats. Wickerson said the size, appearance and movement of the animal in the footage she's reviewed in Inglewood matches a roof rat.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Alberta rat control investigating possible rodent sighting in Calgary
Alberta takes its "rat-free" status seriously. The province says it's reviewed footage of what is potentially a rat in the southeast Calgary community of Inglewood — and unlike many other reports in which people mistake other rodents for rats, this one looks like the real deal. Karen Wickerson, rat and pest specialist with the Government of Alberta, said her team is "pretty confident" the animal seen in the footage, which was not shared with CBC News, is a roof rat. "We define ourselves as rat-free, and what that means is we do not allow rats to permanently establish in the province," she said. "If they do make their way into the province, we have a program to control them." WATCH | Inglewood investigation continues after possible rat sighting: Alberta's rat control program, which marked its 75th anniversary this year, investigates all reported rat sightings. The province's investigation into the Inglewood rat sighting includes laying out traps to capture the rodent and going door-to-door to speak with residents. "We've placed bait stations that just have snap traps in them to try and catch it, to confirm whether it is or isn't a roof rat," said Wickerson. Roof rats and Norway rats Roof rats are one of two rats considered pests in Alberta alongside Norway rats, which are considered the most common rats in the Prairies. "A Norway rat is a burrowing rat, and initially that was the rat that the province was most concerned about when they declared them a pest in 1950," said Wickerson. Roof rats — also known as ship rats — are slightly smaller and tend to arrive from British Columbia, according to the province. The presence of either Norway or roof rats in Alberta is not tolerated. A 600-kilometre rat control zone has been in place along the Alberta-Saskatchewan border since the 1950s to keep the pests from entering Canada's only rat-free province. "We do not have established populations of them in the province," said Wickerson. The rodents often hitch rides on vehicles coming in from other provinces, said Wickerson, with most that end up in Alberta arriving dead or dying. "It wouldn't be a pleasant drive in the engine interior area of a vehicle for eight hours," she said. Part of the Inglewood investigation involves speaking with residents to find out if they've seen the rat or any related evidence, and to ask them to report any relevant information to the province. "Public education is a big part of the success of the program, so we encourage people to report a rat sighting to us if they think they see a rat," said Wickerson. Inglewood resident Jerome Woo said he hadn't been aware of the rodent sighting, and that while he's seen other rodents like mice in Calgary, he's never seen a rat in the city. "It would be nice to keep that little benefit going," said Woo. 31 rats confirmed in Alberta last year Provincial data shows that of 616 rat reports received in 2024, only 31 turned out to be rats. Among the remaining 585 reports, 163 sightings were identified as muskrats. Muskrats are among multiple rodent species that can be misidentified as Norway and roof rats, along with native wildlife like voles, pocket gophers, kangaroo rats and bushy-tailed wood rats. Wickerson said the size, appearance and movement of the animal in the footage she's reviewed in Inglewood matches a roof rat.
CBC
2 days ago
- General
- CBC
Alberta rat control investigating possible rodent sighting in Calgary
Alberta takes its "rat-free" status seriously. The province says it's reviewed footage of what is potentially a rat in the southeast Calgary community of Inglewood — and unlike many other reports in which people mistake other rodents for rats, this one looks like the real deal. Karen Wickerson, rat and pest specialist with the Government of Alberta, said her team is "pretty confident" the animal seen in the footage, which was not shared with CBC News, is a roof rat. "We define ourselves as rat-free, and what that means is we do not allow rats to permanently establish in the province," she said. "If they do make their way into the province, we have a program to control them." WATCH | Inglewood investigation continues after possible rat sighting: A rat sighting in Calgary? Alberta rat control is on the case 16 hours ago Residents of the southeast community of Inglewood may notice provincial government-branded black boxes, known as bait stations, in their alleyway. These boxes contain rat traps — that's because a video captured what experts think could be an actual rat sighting, rather than an animal misidentified as one. Alberta's rat control program investigates all reports of the rodents, which it has a zero-tolerance policy for, to ensure they don't become established in the province. Alberta's rat control program, which marked its 75th anniversary this year, investigates all reported rat sightings. The province's investigation into the Inglewood rat sighting includes laying out traps to capture the rodent and going door-to-door to speak with residents. "We've placed bait stations that just have snap traps in them to try and catch it, to confirm whether it is or isn't a roof rat," said Wickerson. Roof rats and Norway rats Roof rats are one of two rats considered pests in Alberta alongside Norway rats, which are considered the most common rats in the Prairies. "A Norway rat is a burrowing rat, and initially that was the rat that the province was most concerned about when they declared them a pest in 1950," said Wickerson. Roof rats — also known as ship rats — are slightly smaller and tend to arrive from British Columbia, according to the province. The presence of either Norway or roof rats in Alberta is not tolerated. A 600-kilometre rat control zone has been in place along the Alberta-Saskatchewan border since the 1950s to keep the pests from entering Canada's only rat-free province. "We do not have established populations of them in the province," said Wickerson. The rodents often hitch rides on vehicles coming in from other provinces, said Wickerson, with most that end up in Alberta arriving dead or dying. "It wouldn't be a pleasant drive in the engine interior area of a vehicle for eight hours," she said. Part of the Inglewood investigation involves speaking with residents to find out if they've seen the rat or any related evidence, and to ask them to report any relevant information to the province. "Public education is a big part of the success of the program, so we encourage people to report a rat sighting to us if they think they see a rat," said Wickerson. Inglewood resident Jerome Woo said he hadn't been aware of the rodent sighting, and that while he's seen other rodents like mice in Calgary, he's never seen a rat in the city. "It would be nice to keep that little benefit going," said Woo. 31 rats confirmed in Alberta last year Provincial data shows that of 616 rat reports received in 2024, only 31 turned out to be rats. Among the remaining 585 reports, 163 sightings were identified as muskrats. Muskrats are among multiple rodent species that can be misidentified as Norway and roof rats, along with native wildlife like voles, pocket gophers, kangaroo rats and bushy-tailed wood rats. Wickerson said the size, appearance and movement of the animal in the footage she's reviewed in Inglewood matches a roof rat.
CTV News
16-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Alberta celebrates 75 years of being rat free
Alberta is known for many things – oil, beef and rats. Or rather, lack thereof. Officials have been diligent for the last 75 years, keeping wild rose country free of rats. 'Rats are a worldwide menace that destroy property and spread disease,' said RJ Sigurdson, minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, in a statement Wednesday. 'For three quarters of a century, Alberta has proudly been one of the few jurisdictions on Earth to live without the pest.' RATS Alberta Department of Public Health rat poster from 1946. (Provincial Archives of Alberta) Karen Wickerson, the province's rat and pest specialist, said the program essentially runs the same way it did when it started in 1950. 'When the program started, rats were declared an agricultural pest in Alberta,' said Wickerson. 'That means every Albertan is required to control them if they have them on their property. Under the Agricultural Pest Act, municipalities are also required to ensure rats are controlled and eradicated. RATS Mr. Brown, Provincial Entomologist Office, Rat Patrol. (Provincial Archive of Alberta) It is also illegal to own a pet rat under the act. When Wickerson gets a report of a rat, she will contact the local municipality which has a designated pest control officer. The officer will investigate further, setting up trail cameras. 'As far as technology, there have been great strides in monitoring rats,' said Wickerson. Historically, the province has been mainly concerned with rats at the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, but these days, there has been an increase of rats hitching rides on vehicles from our neighbours to the east as well as in southern B.C. RATS "Rats Are Coming" poster from 1950. (Provincial Archives of Alberta) Last year, Wickerson and her assistant saw 600 rat reports, of which only five per cent were confirmed. 'Muskrats and mice are kind of tied for number one misidentified critter in Alberta for a rat,' said Wickerson, adding there are a few other species that are also mistaken for rats. Wickerson said she has talked to people from around the world who are fascinated with the province's rat control program. 'It's great to be part of a program that people are so proud of.' With files from CTV News Edmonton's Mariam Valdes-Carletti.
