← Back to Stories

Western Australia faces severe mouse plague threatening agriculture and homes

3 hours ago2 articles from 2 sources

Consensus Summary

Western Australia is facing a severe mouse plague that scientists warn could devastate $1 billion in grain crops across regions like the Mid-West, Wheatbelt, and Goldfields-Esperance. Both sources confirm alarming mouse densities—up to 8000 per hectare in paddocks—and rapid breeding, with females producing litters every three weeks. Farmers report mice damaging newly sown seeds (e.g., canola, wheat) and invading homes, chewing through food containers and plastic. While both articles cite CSIRO’s Steve Henry as a key expert, ABC adds localized anecdotes like a pest controller consuming 7.5 kg of bait in days and domestic infestations in Morawa, whereas NEWSCOMAU focuses on yield losses and federal approval delays for high-strength bait. Contradictions include differing emphasis on burrow counts, home invasions, and supply chain challenges, though both agree on the plague’s urgency and economic threat. Compounding issues like cyclonic rains, fuel shortages, and low grain prices exacerbate the crisis, with farmers awaiting federal intervention.

✓ Verified by 2+ sources

Key details reported by multiple sources:

  • CSIRO research officer Steve Henry reported mouse numbers exceeding 2000–8000 per hectare in Western Australian cropping zones (Mid-West, Wheatbelt, Goldfields-Esperance) as of 2024, with some paddocks seeing up to 8000 mice/hectare.
  • Farmers in WA are experiencing unprecedented mouse infestations, with reports of mice damaging homes (e.g., chewing through plastic containers, milk cartons, and food supplies).
  • Steve Henry warned that mice are breeding rapidly—females can produce 6–10 offspring every 19–21 days, starting at six weeks old—leading to exponential population growth.
  • WA Farmers chief executive Trevor Whittington stated the plague threatens $1 billion worth of grain crops (wheat, barley, canola) and is worsening due to recent cyclonic rains and warm temperatures.
  • Farmers require federal approval to access high-strength mouse bait (ZP-50), which is currently restricted, adding to existing challenges like fuel shortages and low grain prices.
  • Belinda Eastough (farmer) noted mice populations surged after years of abundant harvests left excess grain as shelter and food, creating ideal breeding conditions since spring 2024.

Points of Difference

Details reported by only one source:

NEWSCOMAAU
  • WA Farmers chief executive Trevor Whittington explicitly called the outbreak one of the worst in history, emphasizing compounding issues like fertiliser shortages and low grain prices.
  • Farmer Belinda Eastough mentioned past mouse plagues saw farmers catching ~40 mice/day inside homes and called for emergency payments to support affected growers.
  • The article highlighted that current mouse bait effectiveness is reduced when alternative food sources (e.g., leftover grain) are abundant, requiring mice to find lethal doses of toxin.
ABC News
  • Pest controller Peter Cekanauskas reported consuming 7.5 kg of bait in <3 days on his property, estimating it could kill ~75 kg of mice, and described seeing a dozen mice in his pantry among torn flour and sugar bags.
  • Steve Henry noted mice had chewed through plastic containers of rolled oats and UHT milk cartons, causing spills, and cited a supplier reporting increased chemical sales for mouse control.
  • The ABC article included a specific location reference (Morawa, 360 km northeast of Perth) and mentioned videos showing hundreds of mice at Ravensthorpe’s seed cleaner facility.
  • Steve Henry compared current WA mouse numbers to a 2021 plague in New South Wales, framing the situation as spiraling out of control with no prior precedent in WA.

Contradictions

Conflicting information between sources:

  • NEWSCOMAU states farmers are finding ~4000 burrows per hectare, while ABC does not mention burrow counts but focuses on mice per hectare (2000–8000), implying higher density.
  • NEWSCOMAU does not mention mice invading homes as a widespread issue, whereas ABC emphasizes unprecedented domestic infestations (e.g., pantry sightings, chewed containers).
  • ABC highlights a pest controller’s anecdote about consuming 7.5 kg of bait in 3 days, which is not referenced in NEWSCOMAU’s quantitative data on bait usage.
  • NEWSCOMAU quotes Trevor Whittington calling the plague ‘one of the worst outbreaks,’ while ABC frames it as ‘spiraling out of control’ without direct comparison to past events.
  • NEWSCOMAU mentions farmers needing federal exemption for ZP-50 bait but does not detail supply shortages for chemicals, whereas ABC implies broader supply chain disruptions affecting bait availability.

Source Articles

NEWSCOMAU

Plague-level epidemic threatening state

An animal nearing plague-level numbers in one Aussie state is putting a billion-dollar industry under threat – with calls for urgent action....

2 April 2026
ABC

Western Australia at risk of mouse plague 'spiralling out of control'

Grain paddocks in Western Australia are filled with thousands of mice which are making their way into residential areas....

1 April 2026