An unprecedented mouse plague is ravaging agricultural regions across Australia, with farmers reporting catastrophic crop losses and infrastructure damage. The infestation, described as the worst in decades, has prompted calls for British agricultural scientists to develop targeted solutions. For Australian growers already struggling with drought and supply chain disruptions, this is another brutal blow to their livelihoods.
In New South Wales and Queensland, fields that were once golden with wheat are now overrun with rodents. Farmers speak of harvesting grain only to find it contaminated with mouse droppings and urine, rendering it unsellable. Hay bales are destroyed from the inside, and machinery is chewed through. The financial toll is staggering: estimates suggest the plague could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, pushing many family farms to the brink.
The crisis has captured the attention of UK researchers, who have long battled similar issues in Britain’s granaries. A team from the University of Leicester’s Centre for Ecology and Hydrology is now working with Australian authorities to explore novel approaches. Unlike the controversial use of rodenticides, which pose risks to wildlife and livestock, the focus is on biological controls and habitat management. One promising avenue involves altering the timing of crop stubble management to reduce food sources for mice before breeding season.
But farmers are impatient. “We need help now, not in two years,” says Graham Fuller, a fourth-generation grower from Dubbo. “We’ve lost half our crop. Without immediate relief, we won’t survive.” The Australian government has approved the emergency use of zinc phosphide, a poison typically reserved for severe outbreaks. Yet critics warn that this may have unintended consequences on native species and the ecosystem.
The situation is a stark reminder of the fragility of global food systems. As climate change creates more extreme weather patterns, pest outbreaks are expected to become more frequent and intense. For UK readers, this story hits close to home: British farmers have faced their own battles with pests, but the scale of the Australian plague serves as a warning. The call for UK expertise underscores the interdependence of agricultural science across continents.
Sarah Jenkins reporting for The Independent.
