The strange case of the declining rat numbers

In February, the Yorkshire Post reported his complaint that after 30 years of ratting, he was running short of quarry.

The story brought him a few phone calls and a couple of moderately successful days out.

But only at one farm, at Church Houses in North Yorkshire, did he end up with the bags of 50-plus which he would once have regarded as a routine result.

He says: “I got a few calls from other people who hunt rats and they were saying the same about running short, although nobody had an explanation.”

Yorkshire wildlife watchers are interested in what he says but have no figures to support or contradict him. There are programmes for counting mice and voles, but not rats.

Ann Hanson of Aberford, field studies officer of the Yorkshire Mammal Group, said: “Speaking as a poultry keeper, I personally have not noticed any reduction in numbers. However, a lot of farms are now in farm assurance schemes which require rodent control on a permanent basis and it may be that where this man is hunting he is surrounded by farms which are poisoning and trapping, so there is not the reservoir in the environment.”

Leeds Council said its pest control department had noticed a decline in rat numbers over the past two years and put it down to more “proactive” work.

Colin Howes, mammal recorder for the Yorkshire Naturalists Union, based at Doncaster, said: “This is all very interesting.”

He said foxes eat a lot of young rats and it was possible that an expanding fox population was having an effect. Wild polecats, which also eat rats, were returning to Yorkshire. And there were signs, in secondary poisoning of predators like polecats and owls, that the latest rat poisons were stronger than those they replaced.

Natural England was unable to supply any information about rat numbers.

The National Pest Technicians Association’s latest annual report says local authorities have been cutting back on anti-rodent spending, which would normally be a sign of success, but in the current climate, it suspects the need to cut costs is a more likely explanation.

Chief executive John Davison said: “Much of this decline results from changes in charging practice rather than any decline in infestation levels.

“Over 60 per cent are now charging for at least some of their rat control services and nearly three-quarters for house mouse treatments.”

Mr Bastey, of North-owram, near Halifax, works for free, however – and is still looking for good workouts for himself, his shooting partner and their dogs. Call 07932 943344.