Mutant Bristol rats "more resistant to poison"
Mutant rats in Bristol 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.
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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."
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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 dais9ma9ie
Thursday, October 18 2012, 3:38PM
“I totally agree with Ourbads. Good on the rats, and long may they live. Some humans are the scum of the earth and need the poison.”
by pillowfight
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 1:07PM
“Three rats are sitting at the bar talking and bragging about their bravery and toughness. The first says, "I'm so tough, once I ate a whole bagful of rat poison!" The second says, "Well I'm so tough, once I was caught in a rat trap and I bit it apart!" Then the third rat gets up and says, "Later guys, I'm off home to harass the cat."”
by Ourbads
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 1:00PM
“Good on the rats, they are just evolving to cope with the environment. What gives humans the right to kill what they please anyway?
If humans were more thoughtful about waste disposal there wouldn't be a problem.”