Latest news with #rats
CBS News
21 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
Chicago woman is fit to be tied with rotting berries falling from neighbors' tree
A woman from Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood said a giant tree's sweet berries are causing a sour situation. The woman, Jane, said she was looking for someone finally to listen to her concerns. "That's why I chose to contact Channel 2 News," she said. "I need someone to listen to me." Jane never fancied herself a farmer. But for the last 28 summers, she has gotten quite the haul of rotten berries landing in her backyard. CBS News Chicago met Jane as she was clad in blue jeans and a T-shirt honoring the old Neo nightclub in Lincoln Park, scooping rotten berries out of nets hanging between garages on her property and collecting them in plastic bags. The daily harvests add up. "Since I've been gathering them and weighing them, since June 14, I'm over 215 pounds of berries," Jane said, "just this year." There are more rotten berries beyond the nets. Even more are piled up on the ground and nearby garages — and they're not suitable for people to eat. "You can't use these for cooking. You can't use these for donating to anybody," Jane said. Instead, the berries make a delicious meal for all sorts of members of the animal kingdom — pigeons, bees, fruit flies — and most frustratingly, rats. Jane snapped photos of her hungry, hairy visitors of the order Rodentia. One momma rat was spotted carrying her baby as she stopped for a snack earlier this month. "There is rat feces everywhere," Jane said. It has made for an unsanitary, slippery, smelly situation. "It's something like old beer, fermented wine," said Jane. The berries fall for about six weeks straight, and end up rolling around in the nets and on the ground. Jane can't control the decaying fruit, because it is not coming from her yard. It is coming from a gigantic mulberry tree on her neighbor's property. The tree in question is so big that some of its branches are held up with metal. "If we get a sudden downburst, that chain's not going to hold anything," Jane said. Jane shared concerns with Ald. Matt Martin (47th), but was told the city can't do much because the tree is on privately owned land. "It is your right to take down the branches that encroach on your property line, but I know you mentioned the problem is with the entire tree," Martin's staff wrote. "Our office does not have the capability to compel your neighbors to take down the tree." The take-matters-into-your-own hands advice when it comes to tree branches crossing property lines doesn't always work out. CBS News Chicago covered a similar overbearing tree story in 2021. In that instance, Roula Savakis of Chicago's Peterson Park community was so frustrated with a wall of trees blocking her windows that she hacked them back. In response, her neighbors took her to court, alleging at least $100,000 of damage. Asher and Cynthia Kohn accused Savakis of violating the Illinois Wrongful Tree Cutting Act. They claimed she damaged 38 of their trees intentionally and illegally. Four years later, CBS News Chicago has learned that the Savakis family ended up selling their home to the tree-owning neighbors and relocating. Back in Lincoln Square — as Jane's dog, Brutus, went hunting for mulberry-loving rats — CBS News Chicago went looking for the tree owners. Jane and two plant experts suspect the tree is a white mulberry. "Interestingly, white mulberry was introduced to the U.S. back in colonial times because it is the preferred food of the silkworm caterpillar, which is where we get natural silk from," said Jamie Viebach, horticulture educator at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Viebach said while white mulberry is not officially listed as an invasive species in Illinois, it is non-native and very weedy. "It can basically be considered invasive (though, without the legal ramifications of the official designation)," Viebach wrote. The tree is treated as invasive by some land managers. "It is not regulated or banned in any statewide way in Illinois, though it is often managed and removed by land managers when it is found growing in natural areas," said Chris Evans, an extension forestry and research specialist at the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences at the U of I Urbana-Champaign. Viebach also noted that the white mulberry is a species the Morton Arboretum lists as a "problem plant." Such a description sounds fitting to Jane. "This is a health issue right now," Jane said. "This is a safety issue." Berry season will be wrapped up in a few days. Will farmer Jane be back at it next year with another season of falling berries? CBS News Chicago knocked on the neighbors' door, but never got an answer. The city can issue citations to homeowners whose vegetation creates a "public nuisance." CBS News Chicago was told that while Savakis' situation with her neighbors' trees in 2021 met the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation criteria for a public nuisance, Jane's berry situation does not meet those criteria and does not warrant any fines. The city said the following constitutes a nuisance per ordinance 10-32-140 Trees, shrubs or other plant materials – Public nuisance:
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Rats are taking over our gardens and block of flats because other locals dump their rubbish here
Disgusted residents have revealed how rats have 'taken over' their block of flats and gardens. Craig MacPherson, 54, insists the vermin have moved into the buildings and surrounding areas in Renfrewshire, Scotland, in 'large numbers'. He blames locals 'carelessly' dumping their rubbish and a 'lack of interest' from Renfrewshire Council as the main contributing factors. Mr MacPherson feels the problem will continue to get worse unless it is addressed 'properly' by the local authority. He said: 'I moved into my current property in June of last year after it was the last option put forward by the council in terms of social housing and have been complaining about issues from the start. 'The tenements on Ferguson Street back onto some close gardens, which are impacted heavily by the rat infestation. 'Rubbish had been building up regularly until the council finally came and removed a lot of it recently. 'However, there are still bins overflowing, which is one of the main things that attracts the rats. 'Many neighbours share my frustrations, particularly since the vermin are also getting into the building.' Mr MacPherson feels locals are fighting a 'losing battle' trying to combat the vermin and said a lot of people 'do not feel comfortable' living on the street in its current state. He continued: 'I know tenants who have left and plenty who are desperate to leave. 'The gardens are peppered with rat holes, you can hear them going mental at night around the bins and the adult males are near the size of small rabbits. 'They have a perfect habitat around the back due to the state of the place and lack of care from the council. 'The number of vermin will only continue to grow. 'The rubbish is an eyesore, and the smell from that, and the rats, is another major problem.' Mr MacPherson hopes the council can help deal with the rat issue, but 'isn't holding his breath', claiming the street has been 'abandoned' for a long time. He added: 'While I understand that some private tenants are causing issues, and the council does not have any power to resolve those problems, they could definitely do a lot more to maintain the social housing in the tenements on this street. 'Things have been abandoned for far too long, and the street has been allowed to get in this state due to a lack of care. 'It was once desirable but now it's anything but.' A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council said: 'Our pest control team are aware of rodent issues on Ferguson Street, Renfrew, and are carrying out treatments to deal with infestations in this area. 'Residents can play their part too - as general advice, we would ask everyone ensures waste is disposed of correctly using all the bins available, and food waste is not left lying as this brings the potential for vermin and reduces the effectiveness of any treatment to eradicate any infestation. 'If you see or have concerns about vermin in your community, contact our pest control service on 0300 300 0380 or email to discuss your concerns and arrange a visit to assess any rodent activity.'
The Sun
2 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Our street is plagued by monster rats… we can't open our windows & are terrified they have rabies & will bite our kids
QUICK as a flash, Jennifer Colpitts dives to close the window her children have just opened. It's a scorching summer day, with the UK experiencing its first heatwave of the year, but the full-time mum, 40, can't take any chances. 12 12 12 Her family is one of many plagued by an army of monster rats "the size of cats" plaguing the back alley of Ellesmere Road in Benwell, Newcastle. Local residents are terrified of catching diseases from the huge rodents - believed to number well over 100 - roaming the streets and entering their homes. They're attracted to rubbish strewn across the alleyway, including rotten food, nappies and plastic bags, which residents say is caused by visitors from elsewhere raking through the bins and scattering debris on the floor in a never-ending cycle. Rats brazenly sprint across the lane and disappear into backyards - at one point our reporter spotted a gang of 10 gathering around one bin while one leapt into the air to dive into a pile of rotting waste. Jennifer told The Sun: "They are the size of cats. It's really worrying having kids. I can't let them play out in the street because of the rats. "The council clean up the rubbish but within an hour it's back to being a mess. "I can't open my kitchen window because they're on top of the bins trying to climb in. "I'm petrified. The kids open the window and I'm straight there shutting it again. They are horrible." Robert Colpitts, 62, who is unemployed, added: "Oh, God! There's loads of them, isn't there? "They are massive. One of them I saw had massive claws, big teeth and looked like it had rabies. My flat is infested with huge RATS as big as cats... my disabled son keeps eating their POO - the council won't help us "They are not bothered by you, they just look at you as if you're stupid. "You worry that when the kids come back saying they've hurt themselves that they've been bitten by a rat. I've seen nine today. "People rake through the bins looking for things. "I'm tempted to buy a gun and sit there and shoot the rats. It's not right, it's totally a disgrace." The rundown area consists of rows of terraced homes with back lanes in between each street. Large industrial bins are placed there, where locals collectively dump their rubbish. They are the size of cats. It's really worrying having kids. I can't let them play out in the street because of the rats Jennifer Colpitts Residents say the rodent infestation hit crisis point when shady figures started raiding their bins for clothes, food and personal documents overnight without putting unwanted items back. Now many of the bins are filled to the brim with rats jumping up to try to get in. Others have been set on fire and have food waste scattered around them on the floor. Out of hand Jade Shields, 29, a carer, said: "There were over 100 rats in the back lane on one day. "I filmed a 24-second clip and there were rats everywhere. I turned around and there was one right next to my feet, and I screamed and left. "It's revolting. It's been going on for a couple of years. Very recently, it's got out of hand. "Ellesmere Road is the worst street for it. You can see rats running across the street. "A man who lives in our street is constantly cleaning up and chasing people away who are trying to go through bins. "It's people from the area that are too lazy to take their rubbish out and are throwing it over the wall. The bags split open, or birds tear them open and it causes rats. "It's really bad. I'm scared in case it comes over to our street which is a few down. "One of my friends lived here for 20 years and he was chased out by rats. They bit a hole into his house and got in so he had to leave." 'Prisoner in own home' 12 12 12 12 Ray Bata, 30, a retail worker, added: "Local people dump unnecessary stuff in the back, they don't use their own bin. That's a real problem. "There are too many rats, there are loads. I have seen some massive rats. You see them every day at any time. "They don't only roam in the back, they come inside and damage things in the property. "There is a pungent smell at the back near the bins. We always keep the door shut so the rats don't come inside. "You are a prisoner in your own home. We had rats inside the home around three months ago." Aran Sared, 41, a takeaway manager, said: "The rats are the size of rabbits, they are huge. "We are scared of the rats coming into the home so we cannot open the back door. "The problem is getting worse and worse every day. I was growing vegetables in my garden but I had to throw them away because the rats got to them. "I have a newborn baby so I'm worried the rats will make her ill. "People rake through the bins and don't put anything back, which causes the issue. "I have seen them doing it when I get back from work at 2am and I confront them but they say they 'aren't from here' and look for trouble. "There is more than 100 rats on any day in the back lanes. "We used to have BBQs out the back with neighbours and the floor was so clean if you dropped it you could pick it up and throw it on the grill. Now it is a mess." Identity fraud 12 12 Jade added that local residents are now forced to burn or shred their personal documents before throwing them away because bin raiders are stealing them. She explained: "People go through the rubbish to find items. They try to find documents with your name on and commit identity fraud. "You have to set your documents alight before throwing it away so no-one uses your details. "People also go through the rubbish looking for clothes so they can sell them. "Because the back lanes are such a mess, people come here to fly tip as well. They think no-one will notice because of the state of the back lane." Clean-up attempt A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: "Fly-tipping and bin misuse are criminal offences. This behaviour is unacceptable in Newcastle and offenders will be prosecuted. "We are committed to keeping Newcastle's streets clean and welcoming for everyone and while the vast majority of residents and businesses dispose of their waste responsibly, we continue to face challenges from a small minority who blight our neighbourhoods through fly-tipping and littering. "To address this, we've taken a number of proactive steps to improve cleanliness in the city's back lanes. These include increasing bin capacity, adjusting street sweeping schedules to ensure early morning cleaning, and working closely with local businesses to improve waste storage practices. "We've also identified issues such as 'bin raiding', where individuals rummage through bins, and improper waste disposal by some residents. "Our local services teams and enforcement officers are working together to tackle these environmental crimes to ensure our communities feel clean, safe, and respected. "Reducing anti-social behaviour and environmental crime remains one of our top priorities. "We need everyone - residents, businesses, and community organisations - to play their part by disposing of waste correctly and reporting any issues they see. "If you witness fly-tipping or traders misusing domestic bins, please report it by calling 0191 278 7878 and asking for 'Your Local Services', or by visiting our website at 12
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Photos of the giant rats leading land mine detection efforts in Cambodia
SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AP) — Rats may send some squealing, but in Cambodia, teams of the not-so-little critters have become indispensable in helping specialists detect land mines that have killed and maimed thousands in the Southeast Asian country. The African giant pouched rats, which can grow up to 45 centimeters (around 18 inches) and weigh up to 1.5 kilograms (more than 3 pounds), are on the front line, making their way nimbly across fields to signal to their handlers when they get a whiff of TNT, used in most land mines and explosive ordnance . 'While working with these rats, I have always found mines and they have never skipped a single one,' said Mott Sreymom, a rat handler at APOPO, a humanitarian demining group that trains and deploys rodent detection teams across the world. 'I really trust these mine detection rats," Mott told The Associated Press while on her lunch break after working on a land mine field in the province of Siem Reap. After three decades of conflict in the previous century, remnants of war littered approximately 4,500 square kilometers (about 1,737 square miles) of Cambodian land, according to a survey by the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) in 2004. This affected all 25 Cambodian provinces and nearly half of the country's 14,000 villages. As of 2018, CMAA reported 1,970 square kilometers (760 square miles) remain uncleared. The rats have a keen sense of smell, making them a favorite at APOPO, which also employs land mine-detecting dog teams. 'Dogs and rats are better compared to other animals because they are trainable,' said Alberto Zacarias, a field supervisor of APOPO's technical survey dog teams, adding that they are also friendly and easily learn commands. Since demining officially began in Cambodia in 1992, more than 1.1 million mines have been cleared, as well as approximately 2.9 million other explosive remnants of war, according to a 2022 government demining progress report. And the African giant pouched rats are doing their part. 'We work with them almost daily, so we get closer,' Mott said. 'They are very friendly and they don't move around and get scared. They are like family.'
CTV News
6 days ago
- 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.
