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Originally Posted by mcelheny
Yes - you are missing the point. As people who have lived in Ashland can tell you -we have never seen rats on our pool deck before because the Villages had a full time exterminator. Yes- there are rats everyplace but when they move in with humans it becomes a health hazard. This is a service the Villages has had in the past, which means they felt it was a necessity then, so why would it change now? No other animal carries and spreads disease like rats, and they are an indication that waste is not being properly handled. As for alligators, they surely are a natural fixture of Florida. Housing developments are not. A predator like an alligator poses a more dangerous threat to humans than possums or hawks. This pond is frequented by model boat clubs, their observers, and pet owners. Few ponds are used by humans as much as this one, so The Villages has in the past cleared any alligators that have been present. Again, this is a change in policy, probably due to cost and owner cut-backs. ...  |
Well said, mcelheny. Particularly during mating season, the gators can be quite dangerous. I'm an animal lover too, but I agree its best to re-locate the gators to areas where there will be less potential human interaction. As far as rats, it does not appear they are in the same category as hawks. This is what an Orlando exterminator says about Florida rats:
Florida Rat info: The most common nuisance rats are the Norway Rat, also known as the Brown Rat, and the Black Rat, also known as the Roof Rat. Down here in Florida, the Roof Rat dominates. Many Orlando residents refer to them as Fruit Rats or Citrus Rats. Rats are commonly associated with urban areas, but in Florida, they survive in the wild just fine. They will go wherever they can find food and shelter, and that often includes buildings. Although they may look large, they need only a tiny hole (the size of a quarter) to fit through. Roof rats will consume many different types of plant and animal foods such as insects, fruits, grains, pet food that has been left outdoors, and almost any food in your house. They also contaminate food with their urine and feces. Rats are well-known carriers of many different diseases, and it has been reported that rats bite more than fifteen thousand people per year including the very young, and old. Rats are primarily nocturnal. Roof rats tend to live most of their lives high off the ground, and they love to live in attics. Even though they often live for less than a year, they can breed in large quantities.