Kadri Karnau, communications specialist at the Tallinn Environment and Public Works Department, said the city does not gather centralized statistics on rodent numbers because they cannot be reliably assessed. Still, residents' observations are welcome because they help identify larger colonies.

Rodent control in the capital is divided by areas of responsibility, meaning homeowners' associations play an important role. "When a colony is discovered, the first step is to speak with the private property owner or the homeowners' association, which is responsible for rodent control. The city and district government can only carry out control on areas they manage," Karnau said.

The Environment and Public Works Department uses rat poison placed in special plastic boxes. Karnau said districts do not conduct large‑scale preventive poisoning because it would pose a danger to pets, birds and people. Control is always targeted and based on specific nesting sites and movement paths.

Joosep Sarapuu, a zoologist at the Estonian Museum of Natural History, said local control will not eliminate rodents from the city. "It is not possible in practice to achieve 100‑percent eradication of rats. When one colony disappears, the area becomes freely accessible to newcomers again," he said.

Rat control is complicated by their biological behavior. They exhibit neophobia, meaning fear of new objects. When a plastic box with poison or a trap appears, rodents need time before they dare to approach it.

A common belief that colonies send their weakest members to test poison is not entirely accurate, Sarapuu said. "Dominant individuals do not check new things because they have established routes and a stable food supply. Lower‑ranking members are forced to look for new feeding sites and movement paths. That is why they are the first to encounter poison and traps," he said.

How can people keep rodents away from their homes? Sarapuu said summer is a good time to check a home's rodent‑proofing because pests try to enter houses when the weather gets cold. "You should find small gaps and openings where rats and mice can get inside and seal them carefully. Second, you must check food waste to make sure it is not easily accessible. In that case, rodents are likely to be fewer or not present at all," he said.

Karnau also said a tidy neighborhood is the best way to keep rodents away. "Trash rooms and waste containers must be kept in good condition and closed to prevent food waste from spreading into the surroundings. It is also wise to avoid feeding birds and squirrels and to keep the areas under bird feeders clean because fallen food attracts rodents," she said.

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