Rat plague in Kiel: Appeal to citizens – This is what the solution looks like!

Rat plague in Kiel: Appeal to citizens – This is what the solution looks like!

In Kiel, especially in the Gaarden and Elmschenhagen districts, increased rat cases are putting residents on alert. In 2022, the Kiel waste management company (ABK) and the public order office documented over 300 rat cases, with around half coming from the Gaarden district. Mayor Ulf Kampf (SPD) urgently appealed to citizens not to offer the rodents food and referred to the educational work that has already been done. Despite the introduction of fines for waste disposal violations and the revision of the rat statute, many residents are still very desperate about the rat problem. KN Online reports that numerous other German cities are also struggling with rat infestations.

A look at the measures in other cities shows that the garbage problem is often at the center of rat control. In Freiburg, for example, there are frequent complaints that are mainly due to incorrectly disposed of garbage. The city has set up a central specialist group here that meets monthly and ensures that the waste collection points are checked. Additional containers and cutting back plants around collection points should also help solve the problem. A pilot project for video surveillance of waste collection points shows how innovative the approaches are.

Innovative solutions

In Salzgitter, on the other hand, the garbage situation is considered the main problem for rat infestation. The health department carries out targeted checks in affected buildings and maintains communication with housing associations and owners in order to proceed more efficiently. In addition, all rat sightings are reported centrally to the health department so that they can act quickly.

A special highlight is Eningen unter Achalm, which relies on intelligent, environmentally friendly bait boxes. These boxes count the number of rats and provide valuable data for targeted use. This means that measures can be adjusted precisely. The conclusion from these examples shows that there is no simple miracle cure for rat infestation. Rather, a city like Kiel needs a concept that combines different approaches and has perseverance.

The role of food sources

The Federal Environment Agency emphasizes that cities have been using rat poison for decades, but the rat population often remains stable or even increases. Factors such as global warming, urbanization and a growing urban population are contributing to the problem. The KaRMa campaign, which supports municipalities, aims to make cities unattractive to rats. A central point is to reduce the food supply for animals in parks, playgrounds and sewage systems. Improved handling of waste and food is therefore essential. An effective contribution can be made by removing wild garbage deposits and closing access to buildings. Federal Environment Agency reports that the mål “No food, no rats!” is crucial for sustainable rat management.

In addition, experts warn about the dangers posed by rats and the common poison baits. Each pair of rats can produce up to 1,200 offspring per year. There are an estimated 350 million rats in Germany, which not only damage landscapes but can also transmit diseases such as salmonella and tuberculosis. In order to protect the environment and the health of citizens, legal regulations are necessary to prevent poison bait from coming into contact with the water cycle. Municipal direct reports that innovative solutions such as the ToxProtect bait protection box are already being used successfully in several cities to sustainably control the rat population.