| | Anniversary celebration underway!
Fifty years ago, a rat infestation was discovered near Alsask, in central Alberta. The province reacted immediately to halt further westward rat migration. Due to the Rat Patrol's vigilance, our province has saved an estimated one billion dollars over 50 years, in property damage, livestock losses, human suffering and healthcare, as well as lost and contaminated food.
Test your rodent knowledge! After reading the following "rat" facts and listed fact sheets, try rat quiz 1 and rat quiz 2.
 |  | Early poster for rat control (1955)
Today, provincial legislation requires all Albertans take measures to control rats.
At this time of year, rats are on the move, seeking food and shelter before winter sets in. They take up residence in what ever is available and close to the ground, such as rubbish, lumber, warehouses, outbuildings and machinery. As long as they are close to food and sheltered from the weather and predators, a pair of rats will thrive and produce as many as 15, 000 more rats every year. |
 |  | Large incisor teeth that grow continuously
Rats are very destructive. A rat's front teeth never stop growing, so to keep them short, they gnaw on almost anything including wooden beams, plastic siding, electrical wiring, insulation and even concrete.
Rats can exist on an incredible diet that includes:
- grain/forage
- green vegetation
- bread
- fat, grease
- candy, sugar
- fish, meat
- pet food
- spoiled or rotten food
- dead animals
- sewage
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More amazing facts about rats
- Rats came to Canada on sailing ships in the 1700s.
- There are 2 to 4 rats for every person in the US
- Pet rats are illegal in Alberta
- Alberta's Rat Patrol needs your help to stay successful!
- Rats destroy 1/5 of all the world's crops each year
For more detailed information about rats and rat control in Alberta, try these webpages:
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