Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has proposed the formation of a committee to explore the possibility of Parisians learning to peacefully coexist with rats, rather than pursuing extermination efforts, according to a city official's statement last week.

Anne Souyris, Paris' deputy mayor for public health, announced the decision during a meeting of the Council of Paris, stating, "With the mayor's guidance, we have decided to form a committee to address the question of cohabitation."

This newly announced policy marks a significant departure from previous measures implemented in Paris to combat the estimated six million rat population. The city's 2017 anti-rat plan allocated $1.8 million towards various anti-rodent initiatives, including the installation of airtight trash bins and widespread use of rat poison at numerous locations across the city.

The rat issue has reportedly worsened due to the recent pension-reform protests in Paris, which resulted in uncollected refuse accumulating on the city streets for weeks.

As Paris' rat population continues to outnumber its human residents at a ratio of approximately 3:1, new strategies are being considered. Souyris stated that the committee's objective is to identify the most effective way for Parisians and rats to coexist in a manner that is "not unbearable" for the city's inhabitants.

Critics argue that this approach amounts to surrendering to the rodent problem. Politician Geoffroy Boulard, who has frequently raised concerns about the city's "proliferation of rats," tweeted, "Anne Hidalgo's team never disappoints," and added that "Paris deserves better."

Certain animal rights groups, however, are more receptive to the proposed plans. Paris Animal Zoopolis stated that previous control methods were "ineffective and cruel" and highlighted the need for new approaches.

Paris has a long and complicated history with vermin. Rats were primarily responsible for spreading the bubonic plague, resulting in the deaths of half the city's population in the 14th century. However, during the Franco-Prussian war's 1870-71 Siege of Paris, the animals played a role in helping citizens avoid starvation.

Paris is not alone in seeking innovative approaches to address longstanding issues such as rat infestations. In April, New York appointed its first "rat czar" to tackle its own rodent problems, while the French city of Toulouse has employed the use of ferrets to help control its rat population.