Politics
Sep 20 2003 11:09AMStrange rats invade Kyrgyz region
BISHKEK. Sept 20 (Interfax) - An unusual breed of rats is
inflicting damage on Kyrgyzstan's Dzhalal-Abad region.
The rats "are killing numerous farm birds, are damaging grape and
corn crops, and have destroyed 14 hectares of grain in one of the
districts. These rats can climb trees and are destroying apples, pears
and other fruit. The rat invasion may also give rise to different
epidemics," parliament member Dooronbek Sadyrbayev told Interfax.
The rats frequently attack people and young children are
especially vulnerable.
Sanitary services are unable to deal with the situation. "The
enormous amount of rats cannot be estimated," he said. The rats are not
susceptible to typical poisons.
An Uzbek specialist bred the species by crossing an ordinary rat
with a muskrat, he said.
The parliament members asked the government to resolve the
problem.
[KZ EUROPE ASIA EEU EMRG ODD]
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