Historically elevated mouse populations in key grain growing regions have led to substantial economic loss for Australian grain growers. As a result, GRDC continues to invest in research to understand mouse ecology, behaviour and population dynamics since the 1990s to allow the best information and management strategies to be accessible to grain growers. This work looks to focus on the population dynamics within the Wimmera and mallee regions of Victoria with two monitoring transects established to monitor mouse populations at key times in the year. This monitoring helps inform mouse population models to inform farmers of pending risks that may be emerging in the regions monitored.
In addition to this, there is opportunistic involvement in testing live monitoring devices that are under development within CSIRO to try and give more regular real time population insights to help inform what management strategies may be needed within a region in a more pre-emptive capacity.
