Mid West shire president describes mouse plague as ‘absolutely horrid’, calling for the APVMA to respond

A Mid West shire president fears locals in her area could be at risk of viruses or illness due to a “absolutely horrid” rodent plague that is resulting in “dead mice everywhere”.

The mouse invasion affecting Mid West agricultural towns is taking a mental and financial toll on residents, business owners and farmers, with no clear end in sight.

Worried about the health implications of decaying mouse carcasses, Shire of Morawa president Karen Chappel said: “It does worry me that there will be some form of virus or illness passed on ... people could end up ill.”

Cr Chappel is calling for everyone “to be particularly hygienic”.

“If we happen to touch one, we’ve got to scrub our hands,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where you go... there are dead mice everywhere.”

Cr Chappel describes her evening drives as driving over “bubble wrap that you pop”.

She said mice were even running across people’s feet, and Cr Chappel had even heard of a local having their toe bitten in the night by a mouse.

She said the mouse epidemic was “quite mentally distressing”.

“It’s having a huge impact on the businesses, like the food outlets,” she said.

IGA Morawa manager Tamika Taylor is fed up with the mouse invasion.

“They’re eating everything. They’re getting into everything, tomato bottles, baby food, cat food, dog food, chips, lollies, chocolates, you name it. They’re getting into it,” she said.

Having lost more than $20,000 worth of stock already, Ms Taylor said: “It’s just frustrating. It really is, I’m over it now.”

“At the moment, we’re putting out baits, putting out traps. We’re doing everything we can with extra cleaning.”

From squeezing chip packets every day, to having practically empty shelves, they are still getting “bait traps filled up”.

Cr Chappel has joined calls, urging the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) to approve a higher strength, 50-gram bait for farmers.

The Morawa shire is handing out free baits to locals to help them cope with the region’s mouse plague. Their first lot of stock ran out in a matter of days.

“We’ve got another order of baits to come in ... It’s been very welcomed by the community, because it’s not only its cost, it’s the availability,” Cr Chappel said.

Fearing for the grain growers whose farms are infested with mice, Cr Chappel said: “They’re living there on a prayer and a whim, hoping the bait has been effective and that the mice haven’t eaten their seed”.

“It appears that the 50 gram (bait) is far more effective than the 25 gram ... we would like (APVMA) to very rapidly consider the request from Western Australia for the baiting rate to be reinstated at 50 grams, so that the cost and the expense that everyone is going to bait is as effective as it can be,” she said.

The APVMA have been contacted since February regarding emergency permits for increased levels of zinc phosphide in their poisons.

“The APVMA is aware of the significant mouse activity being experienced in parts of WA and SA, and we understand the serious impacts these plagues have on families, businesses, and communities,” a spokesperson said.

“On April 25, 2026, APVMA received an emergency use permit application from Grain Producers Australia (GPA). Since then, we have been working closely with GPA, GRDC and CSIRO to fast-track consideration of a permit for a 50g/kg ZnP.

“Before a permit can be issued, the APVMA must be satisfied that the proposed use is safe for people, the environment, and trade. These assessments are currently under way.”