#4 Our friends: the rats
We cannot talk about the animals that have been the cause of some of the biggest disasters out there without mentioning rats. After all, they are the reason why half of the population of Europe died back in the 14th century. And it wasn’t just Europe! Historians estimate that between the 7 years that the bubonic plague was the most prevalent (1346–1353 AD), between 75 and 200 million people died in various parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa!
All because of the combination of somewhat bad hygiene at the time and the virus that most of the brown rats carried on their fur. The animals cannot actually contract the disease, but they can spread it. A popular theory holds that the virus spread and thrived around Europe’s dirty slums, where unsanitary conditions were at their highest, and then the rats helped spread it as they got onto ships by climbing onto them or hiding in the cargo.
The medical world was undeveloped back then, so most of their attempts to stop the plague were futile! It was estimated that the plague was 100% effective in killing a person within a week (or less) of contact!
And all because of one rat that carried around the plague virus!
What’s more, these little furry animals carry way more other germs and diseases, but none of them have been as widespread or deadly as the Black Plague!
If you’re interested in what other types of havoc animals can cause, here are some of the most invasive species that wrecked the local fauna!
