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Málaga’s neighbourhoods are facing a growing invasion of rats, with residents spotting the rodents everywhere: in parks, abandoned lots, trees, gardens, doorways, and even inside their homes. The city, already well-known for rat problems, has seen a marked surge in sightings and complaints this year, sparking worries about health and sanitation.

 

Sergio Monge, president of the National Association of Environmental Health Companies (ANECPLA), confirms the increase, calling it a “public health issue.” Rats can be carriers of several serious diseases, making their presence a significant public health risk, rather than just being a pest problem. Their ability to reproduce quickly and infiltrate sewers and buildings makes them particularly hard to control.

 

Two key factors are behind the rise. First, many rats have developed a genetic mutation making them immune to commonly used anticoagulant rodenticides, weakening pest control efforts. Second, tighter EU regulations limit the concentration and application methods of such chemicals, affecting both professional and domestic use.

 

“These are incredibly resilient, opportunistic animals," Monge says. "Wherever they find food and shelter, they settle.”

 

ANECPLA highlights that tackling this problem won’t be easy. Besides pest control, prevention is vital. Monge urges residents to manage waste better, avoid leaving food accessible, keep drains sealed, fix broken lids and try to keep rats in the sewers where they belong rather than in living areas.

 

The rat surge is affecting numerous Málaga districts: from Santa Paula to Girón-Delicias, Trinidad, Capuchinos, La Malagueta and Dos Hermanas, among others. Local residents express frustration, highlighting the urgent need for effective municipal action to protect communities from this uninvited and health-threatening influx.

 

 

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