Savannah Is The Roof-Rat Capital Of The United States
The city of Savannah, Georgia is renowned for its picturesque coastal landscape, antebellum architecture and cobblestone streets. The city’s rich history makes it a major tourist attraction, but unfortunately, the city sees a lot of rat visitors as well, and the rodents love the city so much they don’t want to leave. It may come as a shock to Americans, including Georgia residents, to learn that Savannah is considered the roof-rat capital of the US. A recent survey has found that the city of Savannah sees more pest control complaints relating to roof-rats than any other city within the US. Less surprisingly, Savannah was followed by Memphis and Miami in the number of roof-rat complaints reported each year. Roof-rats, also known as black rats and ship rats, are among the most medically significant rat groups that exist, as these rats are thought to have been responsible for facilitating the spread of the Bubonic Plague, which took out one third of Europe’s population several centuries ago.
Experts believe that roof-rats originated from south Asia, but now these dreaded rodents have spread to every inhabited region around the globe. These rats are particularly abundant within tropical regions, and they prefer a warm and humid climate located near coastal landscapes, making Savannah a paradise for roof-rats. Residents of Savannah often hear these rodents causing a commotion within their attics, and they used to be spotted regularly around people’s homes, especially within garages, but many residents claim that roof-rat sightings within or near their homes have become less frequent in recent years.
Roof-rats often seek shelter within Savannah homes during the fall after they have depleted their outdoor food sources. These rats are notable for their ability to rapidly climb trees, which is how they gain access to the roofs of houses. Once these rats reach a structure’s roof, they often gain access to attics by entering the box vents and the holes around vents and cables. It is not uncommon for roof-rats to inflict damage to the wiring, insulation and drywall within homes in an effort to gain access to food and warmer areas for shelter.
Have you ever heard sounds coming from your attic that turned out to be caused by roof-rats?
