by Angela Sanford
I am fascinated by most animals, fearful of a few, and completely disgusted with one or two; at the top of that short list are rats. Having raised free range chickens and turkeys for a number of years our outbuildings saw the occasional rat, though, it is to be said that for every rat one sees there are a dozen lurking nearby.
When we ended our run of raising birds, it took some time and effort to also rid the property of the rats but eventually we did – which is exactly why I am firmly opposed to raising birds once again despite the enticement of the convenience and fresh taste we delighted in.
While in Paris, we quickly became aware of the rat infestation the city is plagued with. We witnessed dead rats on sidewalks and multiple scurrying rodents scampering among pedestrians at all hours of the day. Sitting adjacent a window for our first restaurant meal, there was a milling of the creature at the corner which caught the attention of many passersby. Noses would scrunch, heads would turn for the double take, and even a few body shudders assured us we were not hallucinating.
At a nearby park, we took note of the signage imploring people to “STOP OUR RATS,” despite the streets seeming to be free of refuse, at least to that point in our stay. However, shortly after this experience we commuted to another arrondissement in Paris that clearly had not received the same attention to their streets as had been given to the city core.
Citing the documentary “Re: A Plague of Rats in Paris,” there are an estimated six million” rats in Paris though Marseille, France is ranked as the most infested city where their rat population doubles the human population.
I am not convinced that with such populations there is any way to decrease the rat population, and it may just be that Paris will have to learn to live with them. Interestingly, both New York and London, my research shows, are greater hotspots for the rodent. Yet I have visited both cities and saw nary a rat – so why Paris? Perhaps Michael Kors said it best, “Paris is a city that entrances us all.”
Next week - a blog on what we loved in Paris!
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