Giant Rats Are Taking Over a Swedish Town

The town of Johannedal in Sweden's Sundsvall Municipality is being overrun by giant rats.

Johannedal, a town of close to 3,000 in northern Sweden, was the site of a private recycling center that apparently provided food and shelter for hordes of huge rodents.

But since the recycling center in the town's industrial area was decommissioned, the rats have moved into the residential areas of the town.

The lifestyle of those in the town has been drastically affected, forcing everyone to take the plague of gnawing rodents quite seriously.

Children at preschools are being kept indoors–no more recess in the schoolyard.

"I've decided that the children will stay inside because we can't risk the rats jumping into the strollers," preschool director Mia Löfgren told SVT Västernorrland.

Residents are warned to keep all doors and windows closed at all times. Otherwise, the rats are likely to enter homes in search of food.

Sundsvall Municipality officials set fifty traps on June 20, which were all effective at catching rats.

“If we cannot stop this, there is no telling how big it could get,” Sagmo told TT. "I know we will stop it—at any cost.”

One of the “costs” to which he is referring is the widespread use of rat poison, both in the sewers and above ground.

This is a risky strategy—pets and children could consume the poison. But ultimately, Sagmo believes that even such a risky step would improve the welfare of the town’s residents.

“They can't open a window, not a balcony, they can't hang out laundry, they can't go out and barbecue and it's midsummer tomorrow,” Sagmo told Västernorrland SVT.

“I suffer with them and that is why I feel that we in the municipality must go in with as much force as possible in order to tackle the problems.”