Chicago rat birth control pilot program expanding to Lincoln Park on North Side
A birth control program targeting rats is coming to Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
On Thursday, 43rd Ward Alderperson Timmy Knudsen introduced a resolution for the privately funded "Rat Contraceptive Pilot," which uses non-toxic contraceptive pellets to reduce the rat population.
This resolution was announced in partnership with the Chicago Bird Alliance, Lincoln Park Zoo, the Lincoln Park Conservancy, and the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation.
"Chicago's current use of rat poison is not effectively reducing the targeted population," Ald. Knudsen said. "More than that, rat poison has been determined as the cause of death of natural wildlife, including horned owls in the 43rd Ward."
Test results last year revealed Lincoln Park's beloved great horned owls died after exposure to rodenticide, or rat poison.
The Chicago Bird Alliance calling for reducing the use of anticoagulant rodenticides. The group continues to advocate for local birds impacted by rat poisoning.
The new pilot program will start later this summer, officials confirmed.
Back in April, the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce announced a similar program where bait boxes with rat birth control were installed in alleys behind several major thoroughfares in the neighborhoods.
In 2024, Chicago was named the rattiest city in America by Orkin for the 10th year in a row. Los Angeles was ranked the second rattiest city in the nation, with New York coming in third.
This effort is separate from the City of Chicago's rodent control program. In 2017, the city tried a rat birth control pilot program on the South Side. City officials did not respond to a request on information on what happened with that program.
