Stock photo: GettyFarmers and communities across large swathes of inland eastern Australia are being hit by their worst mouse plague in almost a decade, threatening to undermine post-drought recovery efforts. Mouse populations have spiked over the past 12 months as crop-growing conditions have improved across rural Australia and provided the rodents with favourable conditions for eating and breeding. Elevated mouse populations have been recorded from Central Queensland down to northern and central west New South Wales and into western Victoria. The Centre for Invasive Species Solutions' "FeralScan" online reporting tool lists seven major mouse sightings in the past 12 months around Coonamble, with mouse populations "widespread and obvious in paddocks". Ms O'Connor, the wife of a cattle, sheep and grain farmer, admitted being concerned about the prospects for the 2021 winter crop if mouse numbers fail to decline.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 06, 2021 20:03 UTC