Rodents are mammals in the order of Rodentia. Rodents are highly associated with humans. They eat whatever humans eat, they live in the same surrounding of humans’ premises, and caused a lot of damages to humans and environmental. In this proposal, we will highlight the characteristics of rodent, what effect it might leave us to, a method of elimination and so forth. But before going further to this proposal, we shall explain the biology of rodents, generally.
Basically, there are three main species that can be found in Malaysia and those are the Brown Rat/Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus), the Roof Rat/Black Rat (Rattus rattus) and the House Mouse (Mus musculus). Below are the details of each category of rodents. Rodents may cause various damages to the environment and also to humans. For an urban area, it varies from the economic perspective & health. In fact, for the agriculture areas, in 1994, Malaysia had an annual lost about 4-5% for rice and this lost caused by rodents. The yield loss at the national level is generally patchy, with individual farmers losing a large proportion of their crop. Therefore, for the individual farmer, rodents can have catastrophic impacts on their livelihood (Grant Singleton, Impacts of Rodents on Rice Production in Asia).
Impact of rodents on the economy
This is very important notes for the urban area. As we are aware, rodents are much closer and highly associated with humans. Whatever humans eat, rodents eat. In fact, our premise had become their shelter as the source of foods and waters are nearby and accessible. The impact of the economy is wide. A human infected by the bacteria carried by rodents (leptospirosis, salmonella etc), contaminated food in food industries, damage containers and packaging, wiring and make holes in premises. These are all the examples which require humans to SPEND MORE MONEY, in order to replace or treat the damages caused by rodents.
Impact of rodents to health
This may give a very bad impact on humans. There are many cases recorded in Malaysia related to rodents. In fact, there was a time in Europe (from the year 1347 – to 1352) and it was called the Black Death. The Black Death caused by the plague, a disease carried by rodents and spread via fleas. Almost 1/3 of the population of Europe died because of this disease. The recent cases in Malaysia are mainly from leptospirosis. This viral fever is caused by the infection of bacteria Leptospira. It is transmitted to humans by allowing the contaminated waters by rodent’s urine to come in contact with the unhealed wound. The impact on human’s health is severe, and it may even cause death.
