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A mouse plague of Biblical proportions has struck parts of Australia, and it’s not for the first time. The startling scenes in this Instagram post show hundreds of thousands of mice streaming around agricultural equipment and across roads. Farmers and the authorities can only do their best against a relentless onslaught.
Australia’s Worst Mouse Plague in Living Memory
News reports coming out of Australia are shocking. Farmers in many parts of the country are facing financial ruin as they spend time and money on baiting rodents and replanting ruined crops. Then there is the emotional cost as they lie awake at night listening to the mice racing across their ceilings and around AC units. Add to this the inevitable stench caused by having so many rodents concentrated in one area.
The current mouse plague is affecting large parts of Western and Southern Australia. In a previous mouse plague in 2021, prisoners in New South Wales had to be relocated after mice caused extensive damage to a jail.
What Has Caused the Mouse Plague?
Part of the reason for this plague is the recent bumper harvest. There is a lot of grain spilled in paddocks, and that’s an easily accessible and plentiful food source for the mice. On top of that, early summer rain has encouraged young, green shoots to sprout, providing even more food.
The History of Australian Mouse Plagues
The house mouse (Mus domesticus) was introduced to Australia by the first European settlers during the late 18th century. The first ever plague was reported in 1917, involving an estimated 32 million mice. Since then, these phenomena have been recorded regularly.
Mice were introduced to Australia in the 18th century.
©iStock.com/Víctor Suárez Naranjo
Plagues occur when mouse breeding accelerates rapidly. Their breeding season starts in October and continues until the following May. They can reproduce at an alarming rate, producing litters of up to 11 offspring every three weeks, and can begin breeding as early as five weeks old. It takes just four to five generations for a plague to develop.
However, certain conditions must be met to support large mouse populations: sufficient food and water, suitable temperatures, and adequate nesting sites.
The Impact of a Mouse Plague
Mouse plagues are a financial disaster. Wheat, the main winter cereal crop grown in southern and eastern Australia, suffers the most from mouse plagues. However, mice also damage other crops, animal husbandry facilities, farm machinery, vehicles, and homes. Mice also transmit diseases such as Salmonella to humans and domestic animals, leptospirosis to humans and animals, and encephalomyocarditis virus to pigs.
Controlling the Plague
This sort of catastrophe needs an integrated pest management strategy to tackle it. Buildings need to be mouse-proofed, and good hygiene practices need to be introduced. Rodenticides are the most effective control option. However, even this leaves farmers with the task of disposing of millions of mouse corpses, which is deeply unpleasant!
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