Skatepark rats redux

My post twelve days ago, "Skatepark rats", was intended for Environmental Health at Mendip District Council. It showed rat-runs, but I wasn't quick enough then to image any rats.

Yesterday - as I've now overcome my cold - we took a walk, returning past the skatepark. I managed to grab a picture of rat number one (below) ...

but before I could switch to video, it had vanished. Rat number two was not so shy.

On a good day, though, you can easily spot three. And they're generally far more brazen: you can get within six feet, take your time, lock gaze  .. .

Plainly no action has been taken so far to deal with our rat colony.

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Update: (Monday 19th February):

This afternoon we received an email from Andy Price:

"I thank you for your enquiry regarding the above. Environmental Protection are currently in discussions with the land owner Somerset County Council in an effort to establish what action they can take to control the rats.

Andy Price
Licensing Enforcement &
Environmental Protection
Mendip District Council
Council Offices, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet,
Somerset, BA4 5BT"

We called Mr Price and had an interesting, if depressing discussion about the limitations on the powers of the Council given that the rat-infested area is public access (pets, small children) and that therefore aggressive baiting can't be used.

We are resigned to shouldering our way through crowds of exponentially-breeding rats for the foreseeable future.