Australia mouse plague: Rodent poison used to eradicate plague affects native species

Vast tracts of land in Australia’s New South Wales state are being threatened by a mouse plague. Farmers in parts of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria states are dealing with a mouse infestation that has damaged crops and affected farming equipment. As per reports, the poison used to eradicate mouse plague has affected the native species, including birds and fish.

Mouse plague poison kills birds

The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA), after conducting an investigation, has confirmed numerous bird deaths in western New South Wales which were caused by the consumption of mouse bait. They confirmed that some birds around Forbes, Parkes, Dubbo, Narromine, Condobolin and the Riverina had died after consuming the bait. The New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency has asked the public to “think carefully” about the amount and location of mouse bait being used when baiting mice. Kelly Lacey, a volunteer for the NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) came across about 100 dead galahs at the town's cemetery. 

Farmer Stu Crawford from Naromine told Australia's ABC Network that the fish are eating mice and there is a potential for the poison to enter the food chain through that. Crawford said that he has written to the regulator to consider the impact of bromadiolone on native fish. Narromine fisherman and agronomist Mick Harris had recently gutted one Murray cod that had five mice in its intestines.

The reports of bird deaths come ahead of a wider rollout of bromadiolone, a poison described as “napalm” for mice, which is presently restricted to use inside and around dwellings. Millions of rodents have infected the agricultural plains across the state and one family has even blamed mice chewing electrical wires for their house burning down, according to AP. The state government has described the plague as “absolutely unprecedented” as mice have entered homes, inside containers and even found their way into water tanks. 

IMAGE: AP

Inputs from AP