Mutating mice becoming growing problem in New York City, Rutgers researchers say
Researchers at Rutgers University found that urban mice in the Northeast are mutating to survive common rodenticides. A study published in Pest Management Science indicates that genetic mutations are making anticoagulant baits ineffective. This trend is creating a growing problem in cities including New York and Philadelphia.
What changed
New research provides a specific genetic mutation rate for rodenticide resistance in Northeast urban mice.
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Rutgers Study Finds Urban Mice Developing Resistance to Poisons
confidence 90%Researchers at Rutgers University found that urban mice in the Northeast are mutating to survive common rodenticides. A study published in Pest Management Science indicates that genetic mutations are making anticoagulant baits ineffective. This trend is creating a growing problem in cities including New York and Philadelphia.
What's confirmed:
- Rutgers University researchers found that 84% of house mice sampled from urban areas in the Northeast carried at least one genetic mutation linked to rodenticide resistance.
- The research regarding rodent resistance was published in the international journal Pest Management Science.
- Mutating mice are becoming a growing problem in New York City and Philadelphia.
- Urban mice are developing genetic resistance to rat poison via VKORC1 mutations.
Still unconfirmed:
- Rats are evolving to be smarter than traps.
- Sewer rats are taking over US cities.
- 70% of mice are mutating to survive poison.