Where humans gather animals thrive. The most notable among them is surely rodents. Brown rat population has almost been doubled in Brussels since the last decade.
According to Brussels Times, “There lives two rates per person” in Brussels.
Brussels city is set to deploy a usually furry ally "ferrets" in its fight against the city’s growing rat population.
The rodents have become a major problem in the Belgian Capital, prompting the council to set up a "rat task force" to eliminate these animals.
According to BBC, authorities in Brussels are considering to use ferrets to tackle the city’s longstanding issue with rodents.
Reason behind contemplating the recruitment of ferrets is that rat population has become uncontrollable in the Belgian capital and causing increased nuisance and potential health risks for residents.
The plan is to allow professional rat catchers to use trained ferrets to hunt down the animals and chase them towards rat traps.
The spoke person, Counsellor in charge of Public Cleanliness, Anas Ben Adelmoumen said.
"Since the rat is a natural prey for the ferret, the ferret is able to drive the rats out of their hiding places and bring them closer to traps."
Rats that manage to escape the traps are usually scared off by the scent of the ferrets, allowing an area to be clear of rodents for several months.
Ferrets had already been used in Brussels for this purpose but this time they would be used to eliminate rats through a formal proposal. A decision on their use is expected in the coming months.
Experts believe that climate change which has brought milder winters in Brussels, is responsible for the reproduction and increasing numbers in rodents, as this is considered as ideal mating season for rats which boosts its population.
According to Brussel Times, the rat task force said that it had carried out more than 600 interventions into people homes since January 2025 and called out residents to contact the council as soon as they see signs of a rat infestation.
The council has also boosted its budget by 20% to a total of 65000 euros (£56,332, $75,766) and invested in small traps to capture the rodents.
Why to use poison or other chemicals if we can eliminate rats naturally.
Ferrets are natural predators for rats and their presence alone can scare rats away. These carnivorous mammals possess a natural instinct to hunt and kill rodents.
They can easily enter rat burrows and chase them from hiding places.
Rats that manage to escape the traps are usually scared off by the scent of the ferrets, allowing an area to be clear of rodents for several months.
Cities in France like Toulouse has successfully used ferrets in their rat control programs and it was effective.