Alberta is known for its oil, gas, and strong agricultural industries. It has also been known as “rat-free” since the 1950s.
While this does not mean that a rat is never spotted in this prairie province, it does mean that there are no resident populations of the pest. The province and organizations have made concerted efforts to ensure that these rodent pests do not establish a permanent population.
These efforts will be continued with the funding of a new campaign by the Alberta Invasive Species Council with funding from the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. $110,000 will being going toward funding billboards and extension materials aimed at reminding Albertans to “Rat on Rats!”
Last year, Albertans reported 450 rat sightings, the majority of which were muskrats with only 23 being confirmed as pest species rats.
