More Norway (brown) rats are likely to be seen after recent rain.
Northlanders noticing more rats around - fear not - it's just an increase of rodents seeking shelter in homes and garages after last month's rain and not an increase in the population, the Department of Conservation (DoC) says.
DoC senior services ranger for Whangarei Nigel Miller said if people had
seen an increase in rats it was likely wet conditions had moved Norway (brown) rats from tunnels into warmer, drier houses and garages.
"I'd say it's a weather-driven event. The good thing about wet and cold conditions is that rats in the bush will probably die."
There are a lot of rats around Northland at this time of year anyway, Mr Miller says.
"Northland has high numbers of rats anyway. It's pretty mild here [in terms of temperature] so rats do better here [than elsewhere in New Zealand]. Autumn is when rats are at their complete peak, so it won't be long for before they start breeding again," he said.
