Australia Unveils Weapons Of Mouse Destruction To Tackle Rodent ‘Plague’

"Farmers and rural residents say they’re at their wits end battling the growing tide of mice."

"The Australian state of New South Wales will spend $38.5 million to send a plague of mice eating their way across farms and invading homes “into oblivion,” a move hailed by farmers and rural residents who say they’re at their wits end with a growing tide of rodents.

Farmers and residents in rural communities for months had been calling on the state government to address the mouse plague. A year of consistent rain created near-perfect breeding conditions for mice, which can produce up to 500 offspring in a season, the Sydney Morning Herald noted.

And breed they did.

At least three hospital patients in rural New South Wales have been bitten by rogue mice, and farmers have posted videos to social media showing mice raining from the sky and running across hay bales like a dark brown mist. Farmers said they were worried about the winter crop surviving an onslaught of the hungry rodents, and said another wet season could lead to a resurgence later this year."

Nick Visser reports for HuffPost May 13, 2021.

Source: HuffPost, 05/17/2021