New Yorkers, Scientists Will Pay $1,000 To Study Your Rat Infestation

New York City’s estimated 2 million rats have a notorious reputation ― as disease-spreading, house-destroying, fire-starting vermin. But despite their ubiquity and the risks they pose to humans, very little is actually known about the rodents and their behaviour, according to a study published this week. Eager to learn more, the research team has offered $1,000 to study rat-plagued homes and businesses in the city. Take that, Pizza Rat.  American and Australian researchers conducted the study, published in the Journal of Urban Ecology, which found that urban rats are the “least studied wildlife” in city environments, despite being among the “most important” of all urban animals.  “They are the bane of urban environments, associated with poverty, disease, and fines by public health authorities” said coauthor Jason Munshi-South in a statement. Yet despite their bad reputation, scientists said the ecology of city rats is not well-understood, with “insufficient” research on the animal.  Part of the problem is that people see rats as the “‘pariahs’ of the animal kingdom, linked with disease, poverty and fear,” the study says. Because of this, home or business owners “plagued with rats are reluctant to tell anyone, or to share their residences with researchers,” said Munshi-South, an associate professor of biology at Fordham University ...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news