Whether they are nibbling through cables, carrying disease into homes or even jumping on shoulders in restaurants, rodents are a fact of life in Bermuda. The Island’s Vector Control team have a vital job to do.

Tackling the Island’s rodent problem is a never-ending battle, but the Bermuda Government’s pest experts work around the clock to stay ahead of the game.

Staff at Vector Control, part of the Department of Health, have programmes in place for integrated pest management and help to keep the Island’s farm gardens free from rodents.

While they warned that rodents will always pose a serious health risk, they reminded the public and business owners that steps can be taken to prevent or eliminate rodent problems.

Last December, this newspaper reported that a rat ran into a Hamilton restaurant and leaped on to the shoulder of a woman while she was dining.

That incident may have sent a shiver down your spine — but the fact it was such a rare occurrence is in no small part thanks to the efforts of the Vector Control team.

“It’s never-ending but our main thing is to stay on top of it,” Dion Burgess, a city Vector Control inspector, told The Royal Gazette. “The visits I do and the difference I see in the properties, that certainly tells me that there is an improvement.

“What we do in our education is not in vain and we can’t become complacent — we have to keep up that same standard and things should get better in the future.”

General foreman Tracy Woolridge added that there “is a big difference in the public’s thinking” compared with 50 years ago.

“But that only comes with educating the public about prevention,” he said. “That’s the most important thing, that the public is being educated.

“It helps a lot. You’re not going to eliminate them, they’ll always be here.”

Last year, 9,118 pounds of poison were used to combat Bermuda’s rodent problem. This is the lowest since 2002, when 10,273 pounds were needed and the first time less than 10,000 pounds of poison have been put down in the 12-year period since.

“If you look at poison used, it gives you an indication of the control of rodents,” said Armell Thomas, the acting chief environmental health officer. “It was down in 2014. We’re getting better. We have different types of surveillance programmes and programmes in place for integrated pest management.

“We have a team for the [farm] gardens in Bermuda. It takes us about six weeks to get around to every garden in Bermuda. This is done continuously.”

Mr Thomas said salmonella was the most commonly known disease carried by rodents, but warned: “Rodents present all sorts of issues, just like two-legged people. The rodent needs shelter, food and water, so obviously people are a part of this.”

Rodents can cause “substantial damage” to businesses, contaminate food supplies and ruin electrics by gnawing through cables, he said.

“It’s not good to have rodents around,” he added. “That’s why it’s very important for persons to notify us and also keep their own space, to the best of their ability, clean.”

The experts said rodents lived where humans lived. However, problems arise when humans create and maintain habitats in which rodents thrive.

“If we can actually get the public to control their own little area then we get to control the rodents,” Mr Thomas said. “But we cannot do this alone.”

Mr Burgess said the key was “removing anything that attracts them to your property”.

According to Mr Burgess, rodents prefer to live close to their food sources and are strongly attracted by smell.

This means rodents are more concentrated in areas around restaurants in the city, with Mr Thomas warning: “You do see a difference between an urban rat and a suburban rat: an urban rat is not afraid of you.”

Access through storm drains, which are baited by Vector Control, can determine which areas are more affected.

Par-la-Ville and Burnaby Street are problem spots, Mr Burgess said, although the former was less so these days.

“Anywhere there are restaurants, you always have to be careful because they will find a place to come up through drains or in the back of a building and do their best to get in and out,” he added.

Mr Burgess encourages restaurants to wash down sidewalks or to use bleach to remove any residual oil or smell that will attract rodents to establishments.

Mr Woolridge added: “A lot of people create their own problems too by keeping garbage in their yard, compost.”

Problems can also happen if properties are neglected or landlords do not ensure that cracks and crevices are sealed.

Mr Burgess said: “Things like grain is at the top of the menu but when it really comes right down to it, they’ll eat anything and it doesn’t matter if it’s in date or rotten.

“Anything at all to survive and they’ll do anything to get at it as well. Nine times out of ten what attracts them to a property is food.”

Trash should only be taken out when it is due to be collected and not left overnight.

Mr Burgess added: “Things should always be in containers with tops. As long as it has a lid on it, they can’t get in it.”

People keeping livestock should also ensure that animal feed is stored in metal containers rather than in bags and kept at least 18 inches off the ground, he said.