They lurk in Vancouver’s shadows, meticulously plotting to impose their will by whatever means necessary — and no, this is not a reference to the city’s policy-makers, but rather a slightly more grotesque creature: rats..For the fifth year in a row, Vancouver takes the number one slot in British Columbia’s “rattiest cities” list — curated by pest control company Orkin Canada.. Orkin-CanadaOrkin Canada .“Multiple lockdowns this past year have meant more people are cooking and eating at home,” Orkin Canada said in a release..The company said rats have become more aggressive over the course of COVID-19, suggesting anecdotal evidence of cannibalism..“We also don’t know if the behavioural changes seen during the pandemic will eventually become genetically passed onto offspring,” said Orkin..“If this happens, it may result in more aggressive, bold rats that are active during the day.”.Orkin predicts an increase of rodents moving and nesting indoors, with “the possibility of ectoparasites being introduced into new spaces.”.Reid Small is a BC correspondent for the Western Standard.,rsmall@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/reidsmall
They lurk in Vancouver’s shadows, meticulously plotting to impose their will by whatever means necessary — and no, this is not a reference to the city’s policy-makers, but rather a slightly more grotesque creature: rats..For the fifth year in a row, Vancouver takes the number one slot in British Columbia’s “rattiest cities” list — curated by pest control company Orkin Canada.. Orkin-CanadaOrkin Canada .“Multiple lockdowns this past year have meant more people are cooking and eating at home,” Orkin Canada said in a release..The company said rats have become more aggressive over the course of COVID-19, suggesting anecdotal evidence of cannibalism..“We also don’t know if the behavioural changes seen during the pandemic will eventually become genetically passed onto offspring,” said Orkin..“If this happens, it may result in more aggressive, bold rats that are active during the day.”.Orkin predicts an increase of rodents moving and nesting indoors, with “the possibility of ectoparasites being introduced into new spaces.”.Reid Small is a BC correspondent for the Western Standard.,rsmall@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/reidsmall