Zoologist: a pair of rats can multiply to 15,000 in a year under favorable conditions

Estonian zoologist Jaanus Remm told Raadio 2 that rats are extremely prolific animals capable of multiplying rapidly under the right conditions. According to his estimates, a single pair of rats can theoretically produce as many as 15,000 individuals in one year.

Remm explained that rats are omnivorous and will eat almost anything they encounter, including items not normally considered food, such as soap or plastic containers. The species is closely tied to human life, he said, since people provide it with both shelter and food.

According to the zoologist, rats can reproduce roughly every two months, with each litter typically containing 10 to 15 pups. To slow population growth, he stressed the importance of not leaving food lying around that rats could carry back to their nests.

One reason cities have seen more rats recently, he said, is the decline in the number of stray cats on urban streets. Remm noted that a grey rat can grow up to 700 grams; while it usually cannot overpower a dog or cat, a large rat can fight back against a cat and injure it. Rats do not attack humans, but people should avoid picking them up because of their very sharp teeth. The grey rat is the main driver behind the widespread rat population, while the black rat is spreading in southern Estonia.