How to Stop a Rat Boom

As rat populations spike across North America, scientists search for new ways to curb the critters. It’s a pressing task, as scientists warn climate change is contributing to a perfect storm of rat-friendly conditions. And there’s a lot at stake. One rat expert calls them klepto parasites because they steal from us. Our health, our safety and our peace of mind. It’s why in an alleyway in Chicago, an experiment led by a Canadian scientist is looking at an innovative way to reduce rat numbers using birth control.

You can listen to How to Stop a Rat Boom online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

How to Stop a Rat Boom is an episode from The Doc Project by CBC.

This episode is 00:27:10 long.

This episode was published on Feb 6, 2026.

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