There is a strong chance of a major mouse plague in southern Australia this autumn, with an 80% chance of a plague in the Victorian Mallee in 1997, according to Dr Grant Singleton of the Division of Wildlife and Ecology.

The Wimmera region (Vic) is also facing the threat of a plague. Little is known about the population biology of mice in the Wimmera, so that forecasting mouse plagues is difficult, says Dr Singleton. He recommends that farmers monitor the situation closely.

Speaking on his return from a recent field trip, Dr Singleton said, "Our trapping and monitoring sites are showing fit mice that are already breeding in the Mallee and about to begin breeding in the Wimmera."

CSIRO together with farmers in Victoria and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) are working on ways to reduce the impact of mice on grain farms. Researchers from CSIRO and Agriculture Victoria are investigating farm practices that could be applied in years with high mouse numbers. This research is funded by the Bureau of Resource Sciences and GRDC.

"Mice need food and shelter. In spring it is the quality rather than the quantity of food that is important because this triggers the breeding of mice. In summer and autumn if there is plenty of food and relatively undisturbed stubbles then mouse populations will continue to build," said Dr Singleton.

"There is no simple solution to the problem. Early and sustained use of a range of management practices will reduce the impact of a plague. However, it needs to be a coordinated approach. Action by an individual farmer will have little overall effect because mice can rapidly re-invade areas which have low mouse densities," said Dr Singleton

The Grains Research and Development Corporation will issue guidelines for mouse control best practice later this week.

More information: Dr Grant Singleton 06-242 1658 or Ms Robyn Turner 06-242 1645