Mouse Plagues

Episodic mouse plagues in Australia may be a portent of the successful eradication of rats and stoats in New Zealand.

Australia

News from the world's smallest continent regularly remind us that Australia truly is a land of extremes. The physical forces of nature regularly demonstrate their destructive power but nature's biological forces can also flex their muscles, none more so than when mice reach plaque proportions.

Australia is the driest inhabited landmass on earth so it is no surprise that drought constantly stalks the continent. In response to this, mobile Australian wildlife have developed nomadic migration where they move to all points of the compass when drought strikes. Some birds keep going eventually arriving in New Zealand. As a result, Grey Teal, Welcome Swallow, Spur-winged Plover and White-faced Heron are now self-introduced native species in Aotearoa whereas Glossy Ibis are not infrequent visitors.

Glossy ibis courtesy of Charles J. Sharp

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