Experts say heatwave and light rail construction flushed out ONE BILLION hungry rats in Sydney

City of rodents: Experts say the light rail construction has flushed out ONE BILLION hungry rats in Sydney – and they’ve developed a taste for Chinese

  • Construction, heat and booming population believed to bring rats out of hiding 
  • Experts say this summer has been the worst for rat sightings around Sydney
  • Giant rats have been spotted among restaurants and throughout the CBD
  • Four were spotted in Oporto in Broadway, forcing it to permanently close down
  • Giant rat spotted on a benchtop at Din Tai Fung, a restaurant in Pitt St’s Westfield 

Construction, high temperatures and a booming population are bringing one billion starving rats out of hiding and into Sydney’s cafes and restaurants.

Giant rats are being spotted among restaurants in Sydney’s high-density areas and with an estimated 200 rats for each resident, there’s expected to be more sightings.  

Experts believe vibrations from continuous construction across the city, combined with food scraps left by workers and the heat has increased rodent activity.

The popular dumpling restaurant is located in the food court of Westfield Pitt Street, in Sydney's CBD

Giant rats are being spotted among restaurants in Sydney’s high-density areas and with 200 rats for each resident there’s expected to be more sightings (pictured a rat at Din Tai Fung in Sydney’s Pitt St Westfield)

At least four rats could be seen at different times in footage taken from within an Oporto store in Broadway, Sydney

At least four rats could be seen at different times in footage taken from within an Oporto store in Broadway, Sydney

According to The Daily Telegraph, it’s going to get much worse thanks to the city’s booming population. 

Associate Professor from Sydney University’s School Of Life And Environmental Sciences Matthew Crowther believes construction and workers dropping food has brought rats out of hiding.

‘With the heat and humidity there are more insects and so they will be out chasing them. But it seems they prefer Oportos and Chinese food at the moment,’ Professor Crowther said. 

Owner of Budget Pest Control Anthony Bond said he’s been flat out with rat eradication jobs all summer.

‘The city has always had rats, but this summer has been particularly bad,’ Mr Bond said. 

Mr Bond believes he’s done 40 per cent more rat extermination jobs than years prior, and says a lot of it comes from people eating outdoors.

In an attempt to rid the city of the pests, Mr Bond has tried to tantalise the vermin’s tastebuds, but it doesn’t always work with rats around restaurants. 

Experts believe vibrations from continuous construction across the city (pictured near Central Station), food scraps left by workers and heatwave has increased rodent activity

Experts believe vibrations from continuous construction across the city (pictured near Central Station), food scraps left by workers and heatwave has increased rodent activity

‘In my baits I’ve been putting strawberries, blueberries and the premium muesli that costs $7 a pack. They don’t go for the cheap stuff that doesn’t have dried fruit and nuts. They’ve become fussy,’ Mr Bond said.  

Four rats were spotted in a popular Oporto store in Sydney’s Broadway on January 22, forcing it to permanently close.

One of the rodents was even filmed scurrying into the kitchen before disappearing off camera. 

In a recent incident, a giant rat was captured on video casually walking along a kitchen benchtop at Din Tai Fung, a dumpling restaurant located at Westfield in Pitt St, one of the city’s busiest shopping centres.

Clearly visible from the seating area of the store, the rat can be seen walking along the benchtop where food was being prepared just hours before.

Construction, high temperatures and the booming population are bringing one billion hungry rats out of hiding and into Sydney's cafes and restaurants

Construction, high temperatures and the booming population are bringing one billion hungry rats out of hiding and into Sydney’s cafes and restaurants

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