Fauna Journal Entry

Bangladesh Fights Back Against Rats (November 2, 2009)

For the past two years, Bangladesh has been overrun by millions of rats. The hungry rodents have destroyed crops and raised the threat of disease. Now, the nation is fighting back. It's offering rewards for killing the rats, and the plan seems to be working.

One farmer recently won a color TV after slaying nearly 40,000 rats in about a year. That comes out to roughly one rat killed every thirteen minutes. He used a variety of methods, including traps, poison, and flooding. Across the nation, more than 25 million of the rodents have been killed since the campaign started.

The rat infestation began early last year after Bangladesh saw its biggest bamboo bloom in decades. The rat population exploded as the rodents feasted on the suddenly abundant bamboo supply. But they didn't stop there. The rats devoured about 10 percent of the nation's major crops, including rice, wheat, and potatoes. The crop destruction threatens thousands of people with food shortages. Last year, the U.N. World Food Program provided food aid to 120,000 people in the country.

The infestation raises fears of bubonic plague, which is carried by rats. The disease killed millions of people in the Black Death that raged across Europe in the 14th century.