Australian science agency warns farmers to stay alert for increase in mice

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Australia's national science agency is warning farmers to stay alert and monitor for an increase in mice numbers. The latest data from the CSIRO has shown agricultural areas across four states could be at risk if wet conditions continue over summer.

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00:00Canola farmer John Lush knows all too well the damage mice can inflict.

00:07They get into every nook and cranny you can think of, they get into the roof of your house.

00:12Fifteen years ago his Malala farm was overrun with a mouse plague,

00:17which destroyed crops and farming equipment.

00:20You put your machinery away and then when you get it out again, nothing works

00:24because they've eaten half the wiring.

00:26CSIRO researchers have been closely monitoring mice numbers across the country,

00:31which they say are increasing.

00:33The latest round of trapping data has shown higher than usual numbers of pregnant female mice

00:39in agricultural areas across South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

00:45So we know that mice are real breeding machines.

00:48They start breeding when they're six weeks old and they have six to ten babies every 19 to 21 days.

00:54Researchers say months of drier than average conditions, combined with recent rainfall,

01:00could lead to a population boom.

01:03Australia last experienced a mouse plague in 2021, which devastated farms in New South Wales.

01:10Researchers say while numbers are not currently at plague proportions,

01:14farmers can take steps to prepare now should the situation worsen.

01:19Get out and go for a walk through their stubbles, look for the signs of mouse activity,

01:24count active burrows and those sorts of things,

01:27and then make sure that they're talking to their bait suppliers.

01:31Any increase is going to be of a concern,

01:33but I think also our farmers are very used to being prepared for this type of pest.

01:38Another obstacle for farmers who have already endured drought conditions.

01:42You wonder whether there's something else around the corner just to finish us off.

01:49Does it happen again?

01:51You wonder whether there's something else around?

01:52Yes.

01:53I won't remember the ăn, but it doesn't help the farmer.

01:55It seems like an animal that's not something that looks like.

01:57So this is the target of antalphaids.

01:59It seems like the target of antalphaids don't have enough time to keep it up.

02:02And this is the target of antalphaids.

02:05And this can be of an enormous number.

02:07It seems like a race that's an animal that's not important because something is used to it.

02:09It seems like a race is not as if they're talking about.

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