Rat Population Hits 150 Million In 2020!

We recently mentioned that the 2020 lockdowns have created the perfect conditions for rats to thrive, but did you know that national pest statics have calculated that due to closed pubs and restaurants the rat population has boosted from 30 million last year to a massive population of 150 million in 2020.

The main reason for this boost in population is due to the national and local lockdowns creating quiet urban areas and plentiful waste food.

It is estimated that the UK currently has 2.2 rats for every person. It is also predicted that you are only ever 6ft away from a rat and that some rats are now 25% larger than last year.

Rats have enjoyed a bumper year, breeding like crazy during lockdown and making their nests in vacant buildings in quiet streets with poor waste practices. 

Pest Magazine said the cities with the highest rat populations in the UK are:

• London – 19.9 million
• Birmingham – 2.4m
• Leeds – 1.7m
• Glasgow – 1.3m
• Sheffield – 1.2m
• Manchester – 1.1m
• Edinburgh – 1.1m
• Liverpool – 1m
• Bristol – 950,000
• Cardiff – 760,000

The problem we have right now is that rats are trying to bed down for Winter, and this will happen when we get a few cold snaps, so we advise sealing any areas that you believe a rat can access your home.