Rat poison is a threat to urban rat predators, such as this red-tailed hawk (my former neighbor). I have thought very deeply about how ecology provides insight into the urban rat problem and how to solve it. If I have done my calculus correctly, rat poison may actually increase equilibrium rat populations by reducing predator populations. Rats reach reproductive maturity quickly, so their populations are more robust than their predators' to stochastic events such as poisoning. It would be different if our cities were all isolated oceanic islands, but the best way to reduce rat populations in most cities is probably to stop feeding them. I will happily show you my math and then point you in the direction of the people who are leading the fight against food waste.
I presented a poster of my ideas at the International Urban Wildlife Conference in San Diego, CA. I have also written a manuscript that communicates my ideas, but I have had a hard time finding the right home for it. Still, I am proud of this manuscript and I will resume looking for a (hopefully open access) home for it after I have defended my dissertation.
I presented a poster of my ideas at the International Urban Wildlife Conference in San Diego, CA. I have also written a manuscript that communicates my ideas, but I have had a hard time finding the right home for it. Still, I am proud of this manuscript and I will resume looking for a (hopefully open access) home for it after I have defended my dissertation.