In response to an unprecedented increase in wildlife and rodent activity since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nutley Health and Parks and Recreation departments are employing several strategies for control and prevention, including educating residents on how to prevent further activity by following the township’s recommendations as well as using its resources.
“We are fully aware of the problem and are addressing it on a daily basis,” Commissioner John V. Kelly III, director of the Department of Public Affairs, said.
The township has hired an exterminator who has had experience dealing with the problem in neighboring towns such as Montclair and Bloomfield. The company is working near the Kingsland Manor, where the situation has escalated because of the much-delayed completion of work on Clifton’s Kingsland Avenue Bridge.
As much as they can do, participation and cooperation of the community is imperative for continued success.
“Unfortunately, it has been a ‘perfect storm,’” Commissioner Mauro G. Tucci, director of the Department of Parks and Public Property, said. “Due to COVID, Hurricane Ida and the heavy rains and floods we’ve experienced recently, we are seeing other towns having similar situations. It is something that will take time to get under control. And we will get it under control. But having our residents’ cooperation is crucial to speeding up the process of eliminating the problem.”
Prevention begins with eliminating any potential food, water and harborage source for, vermin and insects. This includes properly storing garbage in proper trash receptacles and securing it from wildlife with a lid.
Residents must be cognizant of the negative impact on the community due to laxed property maintenance and trash disposal methods, and are encouraged to place trash into trash cans properly covered with lids.
This alone will directly help prevent a surge of rodents.
“This is an unprecedented surge of activity,” Kelly said. “New York City, for example, experienced 1,000 more rodent complaints by May 2022 than it had in all of 2021. However, as a community, if we remain diligent and follow our recommendations, we can control the influx of wildlife and rodent activity.”
More information on how residents can help prevent and eliminate the problem may be found at www.nutleynj.org/Rodent-Campaign.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.