With its glossy black button eyes and long, quivering whiskers, this curious rat stands out. Unlike most, it has a name, Plume, and enjoys the unique privilege of exploring Paris on the shoulder of its owner, a local politician.
Gregory Moreau, deputy mayor of a Paris district, is on a mission to change residents’ perceptions of the city’s rat population, which reportedly far exceeds the two million human residents of the inner city.
“Hello, have you ever seen a rat?” Moreau asked a woman carrying shopping bags in Belleville, a lively neighborhood in eastern Paris. “Look what’s on my shoulder.”
The woman looked at the rat skeptically before smiling. “Is that Ratatouille?” she asked, referencing the animated Disney film about a cooking rat.
Rats have been part of Paris folklore for centuries, often seen unfavorably. “Rats have a bad image due to spreading the plague in the 14th century,” explained Moreau, a member of the PA animal rights party and a physics theorist.
However, Moreau claims their role in modern disease transmission is minimal, except for leptospirosis, a bacterial infection more common in rural areas.
He tirelessly campaigns, distributing leaflets with images of cute rats by the Eiffel Tower and encouraging people to appreciate their role in waste management.
– ‘Fantasy World’ –
“They consume about 100 tons of waste daily,” he noted, helping to prevent sewer blockages.
While acknowledging complaints about rats in public spaces, Moreau advocates for humane control methods over traditional poisons, which he deems cruel and ineffective as rats develop immunity and avoid bait.
Moreau suggests reducing food waste on the streets, a significant issue in Paris, especially near fast-food outlets. “Less food means fewer rats,” he stated.
His approach has met opposition, particularly from Geoffroy Boulard, district mayor of a chic western Paris neighborhood.
Boulard, known as the city’s top rat adversary, was featured holding dead rats in “Le Parisien” and invited to New York’s National Urban Rat Summit.
“Those advocating for coexistence with rats are delusional,” Boulard declared, warning that easing up on control could threaten public health.
Boulard has installed traps that lure rats with food and kill them via an app-controlled mechanism. Despite their high cost of 800 euros each, they eliminate about 800 rats annually, a fraction of the population.
However, Boulard claims a decrease in rat sightings reported online suggests his strategy is effective.
