Australia Is Invaded By Tens Of Thousands Of Mice: “An Unprecedented Biblical Plague”
Not everyone likes mice; in fact, very few people appreciate rodents: most are afraid of them or have difficulty putting up with them. Although they are small and seemingly harmless, living with these creatures is not always easy, especially when tens of thousands of mice take to the streets of a country. This is the case in Australia, which is living a real nightmare: an impressive number of mice are rampant in the east of the country, destroying crops and moving closer and closer to population centers.
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image credit: ABC News Australia/Youtube
The images and videos of this phenomenon are going around the world: but what is the reason for this invasion, defined as ” an unprecedented biblical plague “? It seems that the cause of this phenomenon is climate change: it is true that rodents are very common animals, but fires and floods have gradually made their predators disappear, with a consequent and exponential proliferation. The particularly humid environment is indeed the ideal habitat for rodents. In addition, the reproductive cycle of mice is extremely fast: they can give birth to litters of six to ten cubs every 19-21 days. And immediately after giving birth, females can be pregnant.
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image credit: ABC News Australia/Youtube
The economic loss is worrying, although it is not possible to make a precise estimate of the damage: however, there is talk of a loss of around A $ 100 million. People in rural areas between New South Wales and South Queensland are not only frightened but also worried about a situation that has been going on for months and appears to be getting worse: mice are invading farms in search of food, devour wheat, barley, and rapeseed, enter houses and approach people. They pose a threat not only for agriculture but also for public health. But that’s not all: this “proliferation” of mice gives way to another and dangerous invasion: that of snakes, in particular the brown snake of eastern Australia: a poisonous species, whose hibernation has been. “blocked” because of the invasion of their prey. The government is preparing to adopt measures in the hope of stopping, or at least slowing down this “biblical plague”.
Source:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/20/australia/australia-mouse-plague-dst-intl-hnk/index.html