Booming population, construction bringing rats out to feast in city

The construction and population boom is bringing Sydney’s one billion hungry rats out of their holes and into cafes and restaurants. And they’ve turned into fussy eaters. This follows two videos that have circulated social media in recent weeks of giant rats roaming restaurants.

• Rat infestation video shuts down Broadway Oporto
• Dog-sized rat captured at Pitt Street dumpling house

The construction and population boom is bringing Sydney’s one billion hungry rats out of their holes and into cafes and restaurants. And they’re fussy eaters.

Rat experts believe the vibrations from Sydney’s light rail and other building works, food scraps left by construction workers and the recent heatwave have driven an increase in rodent activity this summer.

And with up to 200 rats for each Sydneysider, the city’s growing human population will only fuel more sightings.

Anthony Bond, owner of Budget Pest Control, said he is getting inundated with “rat jobs”.

“The city has always had rats, but this summer has been particularly bad,” Mr Bond said.

“I’d say I am doing 40 per cent more rat jobs than what I did last year.”

There are roughly 200 rats for every Sydneysider.

One billion rats have been stirred by the booming population and construction in Sydney.

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Mr Bond, who was on his way to a job at Rushcutters Bay in Sydney’s east on Saturday, said that with many people eating outdoors and an abundance of food on offer, he has been forced to tantalise the vermin’s tastebuds.

“Baiting can sometimes not work with rats around restaurants because they are quite happy with the food they are eating,” he said.

“In my baits I’ve been putting strawberries, blueberries and the premium muesli that costs $7 a pack. They don’t go for the cheap stuff that doesn’t have dried fruit and nuts. They’ve become fussy.”

Restaurant Din Tai Fung at Westfield Pitt St remains shut after a video showing a rat strolling through the restaurant’s kitchen went viral on Thursday.

The City of Sydney has requested Westfield review its pest control processes.

The incident follows sickening footage of a rat infestation at Oportos Broadway on January 22.

Last week this rat was spotted running through popular restaurant Din Tai Fung.

Late last month a group of rats were spotted running through Oporto in Broadway. Picture: Vijay Kumar/Facebook

Rats can be a serious health hazard as they spread leptospirosis, salmonella and E. coli.

Three pest control experts all voiced sympathy for Din Tai Fung, saying the problem would most likely be a building issue rather than limited to a single restaurant.

Associate Professor Mathew Crowther, a rat expert from Sydney University’s School Of Life And Environmental Sciences, said rats “would be common” in the Westfield shopping area.

“It’s right next to Hyde Park where there are a lot of rats. Other restaurants could have them as well,” he said. “Rats eat cockroaches, insects and anything they can find.

“With the heat and humidity there are more insects and so they will be out chasing them. But it seems they prefer Oportos and Chinese food at the moment.”

The City of Sydney issued 35 penalty infringement notices for vermin in 2017-18, which covers rats as well as cockroaches, insects and other vermin.

Statewide, 105 retail food businesses appeared on the NSW Food Authority’s Name and Shame register for pest control issues last year.

Pest controllers have been forced to tweak their bait because of the rats’ tastebud change.

There are estimated to be between 500 million to 1 billion rats in Greater Sydney, or 200 rats per person.

Two rats can turn into millions within four years if left undisturbed with access to food and water.

Prof Crowther believes light rail construction and workers dropping food scraps along the line has brought the population out of hiding.

A City of Sydney spokesman said: “An unprecedented number of major demolition and construction works have been occurring throughout the CBD, stirring up rat populations and leading to increased rat movements.

“Unfortunately, rat activity can’t be completely eradicated and there will always be some public areas that require further baiting, particularly where food and waste are discarded.

“The City has a comprehensive pest control program.”