Paris aims to hide its rats ahead of Olympics

That doesn’t mean exterminating them so animal activists can rest easy

Hosting a large-scale event such as the Olympic Games is certainly a source of pride for any city fortunate enough to be tasked with the honour. However, it can also be a potential source of embarrassment – think for example encountering rats on the streets of glamorous Paris.

And the reality is that like many large metropolises, the French capital is no exception as being the home to an abundant rat population thanks to its large and very old system of sewers. Rats in the sewers are fine, however, as long as they stay there, which is what the Paris authorities are busy to make sure that they do…at least while the world is visiting.

All of the Olympic sites and celebration areas were analysed (for rats) before the Games," deputy mayor Anne-Claire Boux, who has responsibility for public health, told AFP in an interview.

However, the officials are quick to point out that their goal is not to exterminate the rats. These critters are sort of a part of a large urban ecosystem, but again, as long as they stay away from human eyes and in the sewers.

The officials even argue that the rats are even beneficial there since in the process of urban history they’ve grown to have a symbiotic relationship with cities by acting as auxiliaries in urban waste management.

Deep cleaning to welcome international visitors

The last statement is somewhat controversial, to say the least since rats are also proven vectors of different parasites that threaten human health.

Whatever the case, with a ratio of 1.5 to 1.75 rats per inhabitant, Paris would be among the 10 most infested cities in the world, according to the National Academy of Medicine.

For example, the park behind the Eiffel Tower, where the beach volleyball is set to take place, and the Louvre gardens, where the Olympic cauldron is set to burn, are popular picnic spots — and previously also rat-infested.

What Paris officials are doing is performing a deep clean, the way you do when you’re expecting guests to your home. This involves removing any food leftovers in the public spaces, making sure that trash bins are properly closed and emptied, and that no garbage is strewn about.

Also, there was work to close up exit points from the sewers around the sites.

Hopefully, this works, and no rodents will be seen scurrying around during the live feeds from sporting events in Paris.