The human and social impacts of an Australian mouse plague

Context From mid-2020 until the end of 2021, a significant mouse plague affected areas of Southern Queensland, Western Victoria, South Australia and regional New South Wales (NSW). In 2023, 2 years after this event, a team of social scientists visited regional NSW farming communities and businesses to document the human and social impacts of this catastrophic event. Aims Whereas scientific knowledge of the impacts of rodent incursions on broader farming systems and ecosystems has advanced, social research to address the human dimensions of mouse plagues has been sparse. We describe and detail the human and social impacts of the 2021 NSW mouse (Mus musculus) plague. Methods A series of interviews, focus group discussions and informal conversations were conducted across selected regional NSW locations. The data collected were analysed using latent content analysis technique. Our methodological design addressed numerous ethical issues raised by fieldwork in this setting. Key results Five key themes were uncovered from the data. (1) The social and human impacts of plagues are broad and deep. (2) Plagues are inevitable, sudden, and inseparably linked to existing livelihood pressures. (3) The desperation and despair created by plagues affect individuals, families and communities with vulnerable populations at most risk of lasting harm. (4) Targeted assistance along with government recognition of the widescale impacts of plagues is sought by communities. (5) Curiosity and support for novel technologies to reduce mouse numbers is high along with real-time information platforms to predict and manage outbreaks. Conclusions Our research has provided insights into the extensive human and social impacts of plague events, beyond the usual boundaries of plagues in the context of farming system impact or zoonotic disease transmission. We offer recommendations for agencies and service providers to better support rural communities to prepare for and recover from future outbreaks. Implications Current research on rodent outbreaks is firmly embedded in agricultural and ecological domains. The breadth of impacts of Australian mouse plagues signals the existence of a much more complex system. This research goes some way in providing a social impact perspective to a problem typically recognised as agricultural.