Paris races to control its rat population ahead of Olympics
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240723-paris-prepares-warm-olympics-welcome-except-for-rats
Paris races to control its rat population ahead of Olympics
Paris is readying for the Games with extensive efforts to keep its rat population out of sight, ensuring visitors experience the city's charm without encountering its infamous rodents. City officials have implemented rigorous measures to secure Olympic sites from the notorious vermin, including a deep clean to remove food residues and blocking exit points from the sewers.
Issued on: 23/07/2024 - 04:11
Modified: 23/07/2024 - 08:27
3 min
By: NEWS WIRES
While the Paris Olympics is set to be a festival of socialising and intermingling, city authorities are keen for visitors not to encounter any of the capital's notorious furry inhabitants.
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As well as ordering a deep clean to remove any food residues that might tempt the scurriers from their underground lairs, the mayor's rodent specialists also worked to close up exit points from the sewers around the sites.
"Where there were areas with lots of rats we put traps in place ahead of the Games," Boux continued, adding that both mechanical rat-traps and chemical solutions were used to reduce troublesome populations.
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"Ultimately, no-one should aim to exterminate Paris's rats, and they're useful in maintaining the sewers," she added. "The point is that they should stay in the sewers."
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