Australia suffers from one of the worst mouse infestations in history

At Australia a phenomenon is underway which worries both citizens and the authorities. After suffering the worst dryness in living memory, Farms and communities in western New South Wales are overrun by an invasion of mice.

For this reason, according to reports from local media such as ABC News Australia, many farmers who, after the drought, had taken a break from heavy rains recorded a few months ago, have now seen each other. forced to burn hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of hay and grain due to the invasion of mice.

Thus, while seeking the support of the authorities to avoid bankruptcy, regional communities are trying to control the scourge of mice which invades fields, houses and businesses.

Coonamble resident Anne Cullen told ABC she spent $ 40,000 on bait to kill rats and the legumes she planted were now ravaged by rodents immediately after germination.

The plague harms farmers and therefore regional businesses that make a living from agriculture, such as bakeries and other businesses. There are even reports that mice could reach Sydney in a few weeks, sunk in freight trucks.

“People just give up on crops because they think, why am I going to plant this if they want to eat it?” Says Matthew Madden, chairman of the NSW Farmers industry group seed committee.

This month, the government of New South Wales announced a $ 50 million mouse infestation package that includes discounts of up to $ 1,000 in bait for mice for companies affected by the plague. But the refund only applies to products purchased after May 13, and businesses will be required to present receipts.

“There was no insurance. There is no coverage for rodent damage in most cases, ”said a farm worker.

To this problem is added a controversy over the demand for legalization of a very toxic poison, bromadiolone, which is concerning because it is said that there may be risks of secondary poisoning, which is why many farmers say they prefer to continue using zinc phosphide.

This is because the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has not approved the use of this chemical, but the state of New South Wales has been trying to get clearance since it got 5,000 liters of bromadiolone to be distributed in 20 sites treatment in the most affected areas of the region.

The large number of dead mice is also a problem as they need to be collected before they rot. “The smell was absolutely putrid. If you don’t pick up the dead mice, the worms get in, ”Cullen told ABC News.

In addition, they denounce that people’s health is threatened due to the large amount of excrement they leave behind, so it’s not just the Covid-19 pandemic that is affecting this region of Australia. Mouse droppings contaminate not only crops, but also business food and water, and there are admissions to health centers due to rodent bites.

“Now we have to deal with mice and the diseases they can pass on to us.” in addition to taking care of Covid-19“One of the farmers in the New South Wales area told the Australian BBC.

THE NATION

Conocé The Trust Project