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Just how many rats are there in Taipei today? That’s a question City Councilor Miao Po-ya posed during a hearing with city officials Wednesday. According to Miao, Taipei used to have a regular rat monitoring program, but after it was deemed obsolete in 2015, the city has gone without an alternative. Mayor Chiang Wan-an in response said that there isn’t a nation-wide protocol for local governments. However, with recent sightings around the city and hantavirus cases, Taipei would do well with regular rat population monitoring and control measures.

A local resident in Taipei’s Da’an District has been documenting the number of rats they’ve caught on glue traps set up at home since November last year.

Voice of local resident
Da’an District, Taipei
A few years ago, there were one or two occasions of seeing a rat or two coming into our home. We thought our home was an isolated case, but later we realized that it was really unusual. It’s been really frequent.

Their sixth-floor apartment in Taipei’s Da’an District has been infested with rats for about half a year now. They also say that they can often feel rats entering their home while watching television in the living room. Moreover, the rats have learnt to survive and now know not to ingest rat poison placed around their home, leaving them no choice but to lay down glue traps all over the apartment. Since September last year, they’ve caught nearly 20 rats in total.

Voice of Local Resident
Da’an District, Taipei
We’ve filed a report, but we’re not sure what kind of help we’ll get. I don’t exactly know how many rats there are in my home, so I can only stay vigilant and place glue traps in the meantime.

At least six rats are huddling here at a parking lot, near Shilin Night Market, with pigeons lingering around them.

Over at Taipei Zoo, a toco toucan was seen flinging a large rat around with its beak. An alarmed visitor reported the bizarre sighting to zoo keepers, who say they’re dealing with the problem as an emergency. But how many rats exactly are there in Taipei? How has the population changed? City Councilor Miao Po-ya says that they didn’t hear any specific numbers cited during the city government’s press conference on Tuesday.

Miao Po-ya (May 6)
Taipei City Councilor (SDP)
Is there not a single expert around you? Or have you not bothered to consult experts?

Chiang Wan-an (May 6)
Taipei Mayor
You’re referencing a methodology from 20 years ago. Experts now believe the estimation made with it is in fact, inaccurate.

Miao Po-ya (May 6)
Taipei City Councilor (SDP)
Of course, if you’re not making an estimation, then the number of rats won’t increase, because you’re not monitoring the rat population at all.

Mayor Chiang Wan-an said that the central government does not have a rat monitoring protocol for local governments, while Miao said Taipei used to have its own methodology. They said it was deemed obsolete in 2015, but there still isn’t an alternative. Meanwhile, Hong Kong media am750 published an article urging travelers in Greater Taipei to avoid unhygienic areas amid recent hantavirus cases.

Chiang Wan-an
Taipei Mayor
Be it the Ministry of Health and Welfare or the Centers for Disease Control, central government agencies have repeatedly stated that there isn’t a worsening trend of hantavirus in Taipei.

After 12 years without, it seems that it’s time for Taipei to implement rat population monitoring again, especially with the recent hantavirus cases and rat sightings.

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#rats #hantavirus #publichealth #diseasecontrol #pestcontrol


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