This year, 124.4 million tenge has been allocated for the fight against rodents. However, residents of Almaty have begun to notice rats moving freely along the gutters, finding shelter near garbage containers, and even entering the entrances of residential buildings. Is this related to the planned deratization taking place in October? This is reported by the publication "Vremya".
According to the akimat, work to reduce the rodent population is being carried out in eight districts of the city, covering more than 47 thousand hectares. The contracting organization that won the tender services about 140 thousand residential houses. Treatments are conducted in basements, engineering wells, and other places where rodents may inhabit.
The chemicals used are effective for a week, after which specialists check the results and, if necessary, reapply the bait. Ecologist and expert of the Public Chamber of the Mazhilis, Aizhan SKAKOVA, emphasized that the oversight of this work falls under the jurisdiction of the sanitary and epidemiological supervision:
— The quality of the treatment must be checked. The city has already faced numerous complaints about contractors working in the field of landscaping. The problem of waste disposal also remains unresolved. There are good initiatives, but the growing population complicates the implementation of waste management culture. The warm environment and availability of food create ideal conditions for rodents. I myself have seen a rat in the center of Almaty, and it is extremely unpleasant.
Local residents associate the increase in the rat population with the decrease in the population of stray cats. The townspeople are divided into two groups: some feed the stray animals, while others demand their capture. In some areas, yard cats that had long inhabited basements and entrances have disappeared, which apparently has contributed to the growth of the rat population.
— It is necessary to conduct a study to understand the connection. At the level of the law "On Responsible Animal Care," there are still many questions. In parliament, opinions are divided: some advocate for the extermination of stray animals, while others support the creation of shelters and their maintenance, — continues Skakova. — In any case, the responsibility for stray animals lies with people.
Animal rights activist Aksinya MAKOVETSKAYA, who has studied the experience of other countries, believes that there is no need to come up with complicated solutions to combat rodents:
— Closing basements, capturing stray animals, and the concern of residents would help solve the problem. In Almaty, there is a decrease in the number of cats, which disrupts the natural balance and leads to the proliferation of rodents. In other countries, cats are found in public places, which helps control their population. Closed basements become a den for rats, while in Thailand, for example, cats are kept in hotels to prevent the appearance of mice and rats. Instead of expensive chemicals that kill everything indiscriminately, it is better to simply take care of the cats, as they are more effective in fighting rodents.
Rats can carry dangerous diseases such as plague, pseudotuberculosis, tularemia, and rabies.
Saule SHAGMANOVA, a top-category infectious disease doctor from the National Hospital of the Presidential Administration, warns:
— Infection can be transmitted both through bites and through the consumption of unwashed vegetables and fruits contaminated with rat droppings, in warehouses or stores. Previously, rats were mainly found in the private sector, but now they can also be seen in the central areas of the city. In my opinion, we have too many food sources for them: bottles, chip and chocolate wrappers are scattered everywhere.
— Vegetables such as greens, cabbage, and cucumbers, which are used in salads, can become a source of contamination, — adds the doctor. — We always ask patients suspected of yersiniosis how often they eat salads made from fresh vegetables. Given the growing interest in healthy eating, it is important to thoroughly wash vegetables and fruits to avoid infections. Boiling kills bacteria.
Nevertheless, in real life, the problem is becoming increasingly acute.
