The discovery of a dead rat in Calgary has raised some concerns over whether Alberta can still lay claim to the province's "rat-free" reputation; one exterminator says an infestation of rats is likely just a matter of time.
A rodent expert with Ecopest Inc. says the fact that Alberta has so few rats is a credit to the province's rat patrol team that monitors the Saskatchewan border for incoming rodents; but he believes it is just a matter of time before more rats begin to make Alberta home.
"There are hundreds of thousands of trucks coming to the province every day and the rats get on there and maybe get into a warehouse," said Amin Poonja with Ecopest Inc.
Pest experts say all of North America is over-run by rats and some Edmontonians say it is hard to believe that Alberta is actually "rat-free."
"I guess if [the rat patrol team] is doing their job, their doing their job, but I really can't see them going to every single farmhouse and finding every little rat," said Katelyn Martens.
Martens' comments were echoed by one visitor from Toronto who believes there are rats in every big city.
"Hard to believe; I think there are rats everywhere," said Torontonian Bryan Divers.
Animals and Bylaw Services officials in Calgary are investigating after a dead rat was found in the city's northwest on Friday night.
"It was dead, but nonetheless it was still a surprise," said Mike Pointmeier, the resident who found the rat. "We lay out traps just for the mice and we hope we never see them…but this was no mouse."
The rodent has been examined by the city's animal experts and they say the animal's white-colouring may provide some information as to where it came from.
"By the look of it, it's probably either a fancy rat – somebody's pet – or perhaps a rat that was bred in captivity for reptile food," said Bill Bruce from Animal and Bylaw Services. "Either way, it shouldn't have been in Alberta."
The find has left some people, who believe Alberta is free of rats, puzzled.
"We don't really have the climate for a lot of rate, but maybe the one rat came in on a cargo ship," said Ben Lloyd.
Pest experts say our cold winters don't really play a big role when it comes to rat population. Poonja says if mice can survive, so can rats.
A necropsy will be done to determine the rodent's cause of death. City officials in Calgary say they have about seven or eight rat sightings every year.
Anyone who does see a rat in Alberta, dead or alive, is asked to call 311 and report it.
With files from Deborah Shiry and ctvcalgary.ca
