• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • BOSTON BETTER BEER BUREAU
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • ADVERTISE
    • Close

Dig Bos

The Dig - Greater Boston's Alternative News Source

PANDEMIC RATS ROAM GREATER BOSTON; CITY: “WE’LL GET IT UNDER CONTROL”

Written by ZACK HUFFMAN Posted May 29, 2020 Filed Under: COVID, News, News to Us

Boston rats coronavirus
Photo by G. Scott Segler

“Those rats are eating their young right now. It’s survival of the fittest.”


Much like a suburbanite demanding buffet nachos and a haircut, rodents across the region are getting increasingly aggressive amid restaurant closures and self-quarantine.

Complaints about rodent activity to the City of Boston’s 311 system jumped 31% in the first five months of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. Complaints from East Boston spiked by 114%, followed by a 61% increase in the Back Bay, while Allston/Brighton saw a 50% increase.

Cambridge has seen a 57% spike in rodent complaints compared to the first five months of the year in 2019. This year’s complaints have already surpassed the number of complaints for the entirety of 2019.

Somerville has likely seen similar spikes, but the city has not updated its 311 service call data set since last November.

Residents of the metro Boston area are well aware of the cities’ chronic war against rodents. This has intensified since restaurants began closing, temporarily and in many cases permanently, during the coronavirus pandemic.

Fewer restaurants operating means far less trash in the alleys behind establishments, which in turn means rodents are having to venture farther out to find food sources, be they residential trash, three-story homes, or cars that have been left parked on the street since March.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control issued a warning about rodents becoming more aggressive as food becomes less available due to restaurant closures.

“Community-wide closures have led to a decrease in food available to rodents, especially in dense commercial areas,” according to the CDC. “Some jurisdictions have reported an increase in rodent activity as rodents search for new sources of food.”

rats cambridge covid
One Cambridge resident complained to the city, on May 12, that “a large rat is frequenting our drive way.”

Both Boston and Cambridge’s 311 service data include short descriptions of resident complaints.

On May 26, a Cambridge resident reported a large rat that was apparently loitering on a sidewalk at four in the afternoon, showing no fear from approaching humans.

“Lots of rats in Plymouth Street these days,” wrote another resident. “Saw three in the last two days running across [the] street or in gutter.”

Leo Boucher, assistant commissioner of environmental service for Boston, said that the uptick in rodent activity is not surprising considering the depletion of available restaurant trash.

“The rodents are actually looking for food that is not there, so there are a lot more sightings,” he said, noting the mild winter had already set the stage for increased rodent activity. “They need food and water to survive. It doesn’t have to be filet mignon, it doesn’t have to Evian.”

Boucher reported that he has seen an increase in aggressiveness among rodents, as well as cannibalism.

“Those rats are eating their young right now. It’s survival of the fittest,” he said.

Boucher did not speculate on whether or not these conditions would breed a more vicious rodent, but he did say that Boston’s Inspectional Services Department is working with the CDC and the agency has also consulted with Bobby Corrigan, a New York City-based expert on rodents.

“We’ll be able to get it under control,” Boucher said. “We’ll change our way of doing business if need be. Unfortunately, the entire world is doing that. I think reality right now dictates that the whole world is going to be doing things differently for the foreseeable future.”


This article was produced in collaboration with the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism as part of its Pandemic Democracy Project.

HELP DIGBOSTON WEATHER THIS STORM AND CONTINUE PROVIDING ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE

ZACK HUFFMAN
+ posts

Zack is a veteran reporter. He writes for DigBoston and VICE, and formerly reported for the Boston Courant and Bulletin Newspapers.

  • ZACK HUFFMAN
    https://digboston.com/author/zack-huffman/
    Tainted Drug Evidence Victims Still Waiting For Settlement Payments
  • ZACK HUFFMAN
    https://digboston.com/author/zack-huffman/
    Parabola Center Announces 50 Partners In Effort To Boost Independent Cannabis Businesses
  • ZACK HUFFMAN
    https://digboston.com/author/zack-huffman/
    GUNS & GRAVY: THE PILGRIM GANG THAT COULDN’T SHOOT STRAIGHT

Filed Under: COVID, News, News to Us Tagged With: COVID, news, news to us, slider

WHAT’S NEW

State Wire: Advocates Push For 'Tax Fairness' With Expanded Child Tax Credits

State Wire: Advocates Push For ‘Tax Fairness’ With Expanded Child Tax Credits

Mass Lawmakers Hear Testimony On Cannabis Testing, Medical Access

Mass Lawmakers Hear Testimony On Cannabis Testing, Medical Access

Massachusetts Bill, Victim Advocates Call For Coordinated Date-Rape Drug Response

Massachusetts Bill, Victim Advocates Call For Coordinated Date-Rape Drug Response

Report: Fewer Youth Transition Out Of Massachusetts Foster Care System

Report: Fewer Youth Transition Out Of Massachusetts Foster Care System

State Wire: Activists Urge Congress To Raise Debt Ceiling, Resist Spending Cuts

State Wire: Activists Urge Congress To Raise Debt Ceiling, Resist Spending Cuts

Dancing On Banana Peels: Life On Lifetime Parole In Massachusetts

Dancing On Banana Peels: Life On Lifetime Parole In Massachusetts

Primary Sidebar

AAN Wire


Footer

Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Advertise

Customer Service

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an email blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: sales@digboston.com To reach editorial (and for inquiries about internship opportunities): editorial@digboston.com