Khamis’ wife cries in panic when she spots large rats trying to invade her home in search of food. Her husband reacts swiftly, closing all entrances and setting up rattraps and poison.
They live in the southern Tunisian city of Zarzis, a Mediterranean city famous for its splendid landscapes, but recently, the port city has been plagued by thousands of rats.
“I am really scared, because these big rats have bitten people while they’re asleep,” said Khamis, “causing them deep wounds that required immediate hospitalization.”
Khamis’ wife cries in panic when she spots large rats trying to invade her home in search of food. Her husband reacts swiftly, closing all entrances and setting up rattraps and poison.
They live in the southern Tunisian city of Zarzis, a Mediterranean city famous for its splendid landscapes, but recently, the port city has been plagued by thousands of rats.
“I am really scared, because these big rats have bitten people while they’re asleep,” said Khamis, “causing them deep wounds that required immediate hospitalization.”
Rats harmful to agriculture, too
Ahmad el-Sahbani, head of Zarzis’ farming and fisheries association says that the escalating number of rats have seriously impacted agriculture, fisheries and livestock on which the economy depends.
He explains that the rats first arrived on ships carrying timber from Norway to the city port and then invaded the city.
“These rats have become part of our daily life,” said el-Sahbani. “They use the garbage containers and uninhabited buildings as places for their reproduction, only to turn into armies invading the houses.”
Adel el-Hantati, an environment expert monitoring the rat reproduction in Zarzis, says these rats have exceptionally sharp memory and possess an amazing defense mechanism. They avoid dangerous places and cannot be easily caught in traps.
The deputy chief of Zarzis municipality, Moiz Abishu called for declaring the city a national hazardous zone, stressing that the solution requires the intervention of several government authorities, including the ministries of health and agriculture.
Abishu expressed deep concerns about the increasing number of rats, arguing that all local efforts and initiatives are not sufficient. He described the situation as “too catastrophic to be addressed using the budget of Zarzis municipality, which has so far failed to solve the problem through the poor available resources, including tons of pesticides.”
Ahmad el-Sahbani shares the same opinion and considers the existing situation a national disaster. He calls upon the port authority to assume responsibility because rats entered the city through the port.
