Rats have taken over Central Park playgrounds near West 67th Street, with bold rodents invading strollers and forcing families to abandon playtime.
Why It Matters: Families can’t enjoy Central Park’s playgrounds when rats are the first thing they see. The rodents are so brazen they’re approaching strollers and bags, creating health concerns and ruining outdoor time for children, reports ABC7NY.
What They’re Saying: “They’re unusually bold. They’ll come into your stroller, which is gross,” Robert Hart told ABC7NY. Six-year-old Lauren described seeing a “ginormous” rat before her family left the playground.
State of Play: The rats, living in nearby brush, are bringing their babies to the playgrounds. Some children now call it “the rat playground,” with kids as young as eight carrying water guns for protection, according to the television station.
The Big Picture: While the city reports rat sightings are down 17% this year thanks to new trash disposal policies, parents say any improvements they’ve noticed are around their homes, not in the parks.
What’s Next: Mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa has proposed releasing well-managed colonies of feral cats into city parks if elected. “The rats, the mice, will smell them. And it would be like they’re on patrol. Consider them like Batman and Robin,” Sliwa said, ABC7NY reports.
