The post This NYC Rat Dragging a Pizza Slice Twice Its Size Is Peak New York appeared first on A-Z Animals.

Quick Take

• New York City’s rat population is often estimated at around 3 million, though that is not an official city count.

• The rat most people see in New York is the brown rat, or Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus), an omnivorous scavenger well adapted to city life.

• Rats are so common in the subway that rider reports have identified stations like 191 Street and Grant Avenue as especially notorious.

As appetites go, this is pretty impressive. The incredible clip shows a rat pulling a slice of pizza bigger than its entire body between some subway tracks. Apparently filmed in New York, the greedy rodent is clearly on a mission, but it is not clear where it is going!

Watch the Hungry Rodent Now

How Many Rats Live in New York?

New York’s rat problem is no secret. New York City’s rat population is often estimated at around 3 million, though there is no official citywide rat census. Rat activity shifted during and after the pandemic as restaurant closures, changing trash patterns, and outdoor dining altered where food was available. Trash management has played a major role in New York City’s rat problem, and city officials have expanded several rat-mitigation and containerization efforts in response. City officials have used and funded aggressive rat-control measures in some areas, including treating burrows with carbon monoxide.

It is not at all unusual to see rats on the subway system in New York. To try to quantify the problem, the popular transport app Transit has now launched a feature where you can report rat sightings in the subway system. As of late 2023, thousands of reports had been logged through Transit’s rat-reporting feature, with 191 Street and Grant Avenue among the stations most associated with rat sightings.Avenue.

What Do Brown Rats Normally Eat?

The rat population of New York is dominated by brown rats, also called Norway rats. Their scientific name is Rattus norvegicus. They are native to northern China and nearby parts of Asia, but human trade and travel helped spread them around the world, including across North America. Their fur is coarse and usually brown or dark grey, and their bellies are light grey or brown. They typically measure about 16 inches in total length, including the tail, which is usually slightly shorter than the body. Brown rats construct burrows and nests below ground and often use human materials such as paper or cloth to make them.

When it comes to food, these rats are foragers and are not that fussy! As omnivores, they eat both plants and animals. In the wild, they would eat plants and even prey on fish, lizards, and baby birds. When they live in agricultural areas, they eat crops and animal feed. However, those who live in cities eat mainly discarded food (such as pizza) found in garbage. Some people keep Norway rats as pets, and these are fed on seeds, nuts, vegetables, and pasta!

The post This NYC Rat Dragging a Pizza Slice Twice Its Size Is Peak New York appeared first on A-Z Animals.