When was the worst mouse plague in Australia?

When was the worst mouse plague in Australia?

1996
Australia’s worst ever mouse plague occurred in the Toowoomba and Darling Downs Region of Queensland in 1996 and caused an estimated A$3 billion dollars worth of damage to crops.

Is there a mouse plague in South Australia?

The mouse plague has been spreading through much of the southern half of Australia. Map by CSIRO. The CSIRO has urged farmers to actively monitor the mouse numbers on their properties and consider baiting with zinc phosphide.

Is there a mouse plague in Adelaide?

Where are the mice? The mouse plague has stretched across NSW to southern Queensland, northern Victoria and into South Australia. The prevalence of mice in South Australia across the Adelaide Plains, Yorke Peninsula and Eyre Peninsula has surprised experts given the regions’ dry summer.

What has caused the mouse plague in Australia?

Why is there a mouse plague? Local media say it started in the spring of 2020 during the harvest season. It has been caused by a combination of ideal weather conditions for breeding and a bountiful harvest that followed devastating bushfires and a years-long drought.

Why are there so many mice in Australia right now?

The infestation comes after years of drought, devastating wildfires and a period of heavy rain that boosted plant growth, creating ideal conditions for the hungry rodents to reproduce exponentially. Now farms and fields are overrun with swarms of mice that have taken up residence in the walls of barns and homes.

What eats mice in Australia?

For native predators such as eagles, owls, snakes and goannas (large lizards), the surging mouse population makes for a bountiful feast, but with a potentially deadly sting in the tail.

Is the mouse plague still happening?

Many families in regional NSW are still struggling with the enormous number of mice on the land and in their homes. Mouse numbers have plateaued over winter, but there are concerns mice populations will explode once spring hits. Experts say there is no safe way to get rid of mice completely.

Is the mice plague over?

Experts had warned if mice survived the colder months by shielding themselves from the elements in burrows, the plague was expected to return in spring. “Over winter, we’ve had fairly consistent reporting of mice still being present. “Unfortunately, we haven’t had reports of mice disappearing completely.”

What was the Australian mouse plague of 1993?

In 1993, Australia’s worst ever mouse plague caused an estimated $96 million worth of damage. The mice destroyed thousands of hectares of crops and attacked livestock in piggeries and poultry farms. They chewed through rubber and electrical insulation, damaged farm vehicles, and ruined cars and buildings.

Why are there so many mice in South Australia?

THEY have invaded our houses, gardens, paddocks and farms in plague proportions. Increasing numbers of mice are making themselves at home in and on properties across South Australia. The abundance of mice — the highest since 2014 — has been fuelled by high summer rainfall and a bumper harvest.

Where are the worst mouse areas in Australia?

In Queensland, the abundance of activity was noted in areas across the Darling Downs and Goondiwindi, while in Victoria, the worst hit areas were Wimmera and southern Mallee. There were also moderate mouse numbers in South Australia’s North Adelaide Plains, Yorke Peninsula and western Eyre Peninsula.

Where are the mice in the Adelaide Plains?

Latest research by the CSIRO and Invasive Animals Co-operative Research Centre shows mouse numbers are increasing across the northern Adelaide Plains, Yorke Peninsula and Eyre Peninsula. Trap success at Mallala, 60km north of Adelaide, was at 75 per cent in March, while density estimates were between 250 and 320 mice per hectare.