Stephen Dubner

Still, he didn't plan on a life devoted to extermination.

But that fear only boosted his interest. After working as an exterminator for a few years, Corrigan did go to college and he studied under a prominent entomologist named Austin Fishman, a pest control pioneer, Corrigan calls him. After that, Corrigan joined a graduate program at Purdue University in their School of Agriculture.

But that fear only boosted his interest. After working as an exterminator for a few years, Corrigan did go to college and he studied under a prominent entomologist named Austin Fishman, a pest control pioneer, Corrigan calls him. After that, Corrigan joined a graduate program at Purdue University in their School of Agriculture.

But that fear only boosted his interest. After working as an exterminator for a few years, Corrigan did go to college and he studied under a prominent entomologist named Austin Fishman, a pest control pioneer, Corrigan calls him. After that, Corrigan joined a graduate program at Purdue University in their School of Agriculture.

Corgan wound up getting a Ph.D. from Purdue in rodent pest management. And he stayed out there for a while as a professor. But eventually he felt the siren call of his hometown and he took a job with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In a way, this was a very rat like behavior as rats experience that same pull toward home.

Corgan wound up getting a Ph.D. from Purdue in rodent pest management. And he stayed out there for a while as a professor. But eventually he felt the siren call of his hometown and he took a job with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In a way, this was a very rat like behavior as rats experience that same pull toward home.

Corgan wound up getting a Ph.D. from Purdue in rodent pest management. And he stayed out there for a while as a professor. But eventually he felt the siren call of his hometown and he took a job with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In a way, this was a very rat like behavior as rats experience that same pull toward home.

From the rat perspective, that sounds lovely. From generation to generation, the kind of thing that humans cherish. But from the human perspective, rats are rarely a thing to cherish. Most people see them as disgusting pests at the very least. Some people think of them as mass murderers.

From the rat perspective, that sounds lovely. From generation to generation, the kind of thing that humans cherish. But from the human perspective, rats are rarely a thing to cherish. Most people see them as disgusting pests at the very least. Some people think of them as mass murderers.

From the rat perspective, that sounds lovely. From generation to generation, the kind of thing that humans cherish. But from the human perspective, rats are rarely a thing to cherish. Most people see them as disgusting pests at the very least. Some people think of them as mass murderers.

Although, as we heard in part one of this series, some scientists have recently exonerated rats on the charge of having spread the Black Death in Europe. Still, the rat's reputation is terrible. So if you are facing the kind of multi-generational infestation that Bobby Corrigan was just talking about, what do you do? The most obvious tool in many cases is poison.

Although, as we heard in part one of this series, some scientists have recently exonerated rats on the charge of having spread the Black Death in Europe. Still, the rat's reputation is terrible. So if you are facing the kind of multi-generational infestation that Bobby Corrigan was just talking about, what do you do? The most obvious tool in many cases is poison.

Although, as we heard in part one of this series, some scientists have recently exonerated rats on the charge of having spread the Black Death in Europe. Still, the rat's reputation is terrible. So if you are facing the kind of multi-generational infestation that Bobby Corrigan was just talking about, what do you do? The most obvious tool in many cases is poison.

A good example of the environmental threat of rat poison is the story of Flacco the Owl, a beautiful Eurasian eagle owl who lived in Central Park Zoo in New York City. Flacco became a celebrity when in 2023 he escaped from the zoo, thanks to a vandal cutting a hole in the cage, and he took up residence in Manhattan.

A good example of the environmental threat of rat poison is the story of Flacco the Owl, a beautiful Eurasian eagle owl who lived in Central Park Zoo in New York City. Flacco became a celebrity when in 2023 he escaped from the zoo, thanks to a vandal cutting a hole in the cage, and he took up residence in Manhattan.

A good example of the environmental threat of rat poison is the story of Flacco the Owl, a beautiful Eurasian eagle owl who lived in Central Park Zoo in New York City. Flacco became a celebrity when in 2023 he escaped from the zoo, thanks to a vandal cutting a hole in the cage, and he took up residence in Manhattan.

There were concerns at first that he wouldn't be able to survive outside of captivity, but he seemed to be thriving.

There were concerns at first that he wouldn't be able to survive outside of captivity, but he seemed to be thriving.

There were concerns at first that he wouldn't be able to survive outside of captivity, but he seemed to be thriving.

After nine months on the outside, Flacco was killed when he flew into a building on the Upper West Side. A postmortem showed that he had debilitating levels of rat poison in his system. But it's not just escaped zoo animals who are endangered by rat poison. Dogs are. Children are. Like Bobby Corrigan said, poison should probably be a last resort, not a first.