Images have emerged of a rat infestation at a chicken run in Rumst (Antwerp Province) in the vicinity of the site where the Tomorrowland dance music festival starts on 21 July. The infestation is around 150 metres away from the Dreamville camp site that is supposed to welcome 38,000 campers during the festival.
The mayor of Boom, where the festival is held, has already notified the Tomorrowland organisation. The municipal authorities are considering enlisting the assistance of pest control experts to exterminate the vermin. Tomorrowland does not think it is at present necessary to take measures at its camp site.
The chicken run is currently attracting a particularly large number of rats. Danny Van Rompaey observed this when he walked past. He filmed the rats and shared his video on social media. "The animals are clearly looking for food, if they are already this active in daylight, what will it be at night? Soon thousands of festivalgoers will be staying at a Tomorrowland camp site nearby."
Boom municipal council is considering whether anything needs to be done. "We had not yet received any complaints about it. We also heard about it through the media," says Mayor Jeroen Baert. "Our rat-catcher has attended the scene and reported to us that there is a problem on a plot that is just on the territory of the neighbouring municipality of Rumst. We then contacted the Tomorrowland organisers. They are going to check the situation. If necessary, we are going to call in a pest control firm to solve the problem."
Tomorrowland's organisers are confident. "Currently the rats are not yet on our site. They are 100 metres from our crew car park and 150 metres from our Dreamville campsite, where 38,000 people will be staying," says Tomorrowland's Debby Wilmsen. "But both municipalities are aware and will take measures to prevent them from entering the camp site. We also know from experience that when there are 38,000 people on a site, not that many animals venture in. So we assume it will all be safe."
Tomorrowland itself will not be taking any measures at the site just yet. "We certainly won't be spreading rat poison. The municipality of Boom uses animal-friendly rat traps. If they are going to use those off site, then a lot will already be sorted and we won't have to take any additional measures on the site itself."