In accordance with a plan authorized by the city council, starting the following year, contraceptive pellets will be inserted into unique, rat-accessible traps located in a limited area of Manhattan so that the rats will eat their way to a reduced birth rate.
Every month, the containers will be inspected to determine how much remains and to assess the rats’ reaction to the Contrapest product.
The manufacturer of the plant-based medicine, Senestech, asserts that each dose stops rats from reproducing for 45 days, allowing for a gentle population decline that doesn’t harm other animals or the environment.
The company says that because rats usually have more babies than they die, this is a more long-term solution to infestations than rodenticides.
According to the company’s website, if there is even one surviving male and female after pesticides are sprayed, they can have 15,000 offspring in just over a year.
It is non-toxic and does not endanger the environment or other animals.
