Yet another unexpected new side effect of coronavirus: Rat turf wars

With every passing day, the coronavirus pandemic creates new, horrible problems for the world to deal with. Most of these are related to the sorts of things we’ve all been expecting—economic collapse, political fallout, and constant reminders of how essential robust social welfare programs and well-funded, free healthcare truly are. But there are also more unusual side effects, like groups of Thai monkeys going to war with each other, goats launching not-all-that-hostile takeovers of Welsh towns, and, now, turf wars between competing factions of New York City rats.

Gothamist’s David Cruz details this conflict, explaining that the city’s rats are scrapping, like Thailand’s monkeys, over food supplies diminished by humans staying indoors. The article includes quotes from rat expert Bobby Corrigan, who says that the problem comes about when rats (just like us!) start to fight over unequal access to resources. While “it’s business as usual” for rats in “some parts of New York City,” those that hang out in areas like Times Square’s Restaurant Row aren’t able to find as much tasty, tasty garbage during the quarantine.