Mutant rats resistant to poison at large in Gloucestershire
Mutant rats in Gloucestershire are becoming increasingly resistant to common poisons, a university has discovered.
Scientists at Huddersfield University say that about 75 per cent of rats in the west of England have built up a resistance to the most commonly sold poisons.
-
Rat
Dr Dougie Clarke, head of biological sciences at Huddersfield University, said: "Some pest control companies are still using the same rodenticides - Bromadiolone and Difenacoum - in areas where there are resistant rats and things need to change.
"We're wiping out the normal susceptible rats and we're going to be left with resistant rats only in this area so alternatives have to be found so we're not using these poisons."
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
Experts believe the rise could be down to the incorrect dosages of poison being given, which are too low. Rats which are resistant to the poison get fattened up by the bait and those that survive then mate with other resistant rats, allowing a generation of rats resistant to existing poisons to build up.
Although the research is not complete, the scientists said within 10 years all rats in the Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol areas could be resistant to poisons.
Comments
by cheltm2012
Tuesday, November 06 2012, 7:06PM
“rats are great i feeds them bred and chips and stuff. they even drink stella from my ash tray. they are my only friends and they bring an aire of glamour to the otherwise terrible
area i live in
Richard Turk- the reddings”
by geraint2010
Thursday, October 18 2012, 10:37AM
“We live out in the sticks and rats occasionally come in our garden from adjacent fields. This is not a problem however as they never come into the house where all food is kept securely out of reach and our dog and three cats quickly encourage them to move on to pastures new.
Feral cats and our much-maligned seagulls (who tend to beat them to discarded food) are safer and more effective ways of keeping numbers in check than the repeated use of rat poison.”
by honeybee6
Thursday, October 18 2012, 8:31AM
“The rats are here because of all the filth left by people. Rats are intelligent creatures that have been proven to show empathy, more than can be said for most humans. Poisoning animals is torture.”
by Countrylad
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 11:46PM
“Where are all the Animal Rights people now, Rats are now different to Badgers, Can we expect the Save Ratty Campaign,”
by valhalla2010
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 5:58PM
“I find that a .22 sorts them out nicely.
Or a Jack Russell”
by Chan11
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 5:13PM
“I could offer my pastry.”
by FreeRadical1
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 5:04PM
“Outdoor cats and terriers are probably the best control measures for rats. Poisoning is cruel, and anyway leads to resistant strains, as we have discovered.
Keeping feedstuffs out of the reach of rats - which admittedly can be difficult - is also a very good control measure.”
by bonzaharris1
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 4:26PM
“Looks like my fat lazy puss might have to step up to the plate !!”
by Dr_Hfrrrrr
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 4:02PM
“Rattus Rattus, so good they named it twice. Or Rattus Norvegicus. I always preferred Black & White myself.”
by TimMessanger
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 3:56PM
“Hang on if 75% are resistant then they are not mutants, they are evolved!”