Explore the latest developments concerning A mouse plague.
A mouse plague has broken out, here's what you need to know
Farmers and others in the community are battling to clean up dead mice daily. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Chris Lewis)
As people sleep in parts of Australia, mice are hidden in their beds biting their fingers, chewing machinery wiring and hoses, destroying grain crops, and rotting in streets.
Some regions are in the grip of a mouse plague on a scale not seen since 2021.
Mice began breeding extensively after the summer's grain harvest in Western Australia.
Agronomists and farmers in WA began raising the alarm in February, but even then, they were surprised at just how many rodents they were seeing.
WA’s regions have been hit by thousands of mice. Will stronger baits help turn the tide?
There are hopes stronger baits will help turn the tide on a plague of rodents that has taken hold in Western Australia’s regions, with farmers optimistic after weeks of campaigning.
Landholders in towns including Northampton, Mullewa and Ravensthorpe were recording more than 8000 mice per hectare in April; a plague is typically declared at levels above 5000 mice per hectare.
The issue is also affecting areas in South Australia, with the plague spread across Western and central Australia.
However, a decision handed down by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority on Monday means bait production will ramp up in the hopes of quashing the outbreak.
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Farmers given new weapon in fight against mouse plague gripping rural Australia
SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands and waterways throughout Australia.
Australian farmers have been granted a new tool to combat mouse plagues that have gripped parts of the country.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has granted an emergency permit for the use of mouse bait containing 50 grams per kilogram of zinc phosphide (ZP50) in areas where rodent numbers are high.
Grain Producers Australia (GPA), which applied for the emergency permit, has said it is "incredibly grateful" for access to the chemical.
"While grain producers have had ongoing access to 25g/kg zinc phosphide (ZP25) mouse bait, it’s not strong enough to tackle the level of mice issues that we’re seeing at the moment," GPA research development and extension spokesperson Andrew Weidemann said.
For more detailed information, explore updates concerning A mouse plague.