Floods in various parts of China have dislodged mice from their homes. In some communities ditches are full of dead mice as local residents fight back. Invasions began on June 23 when river flooded.
When I saw this story I thought about a discussion on an earlier
story where the talk turned to eating rats and other rodents. It would appear that there is no shortage of mice and perhaps a booming market in mouse meat awaits an adventurous entrepreneur.
One June 23, 2007 , the Yangtze River flooded, thus causing the water level in China’s Dongting Lake to rise. The rising water also flooded mouse holes and forced the little rodents from their homes.
The number of mice on the move is estimated to be approximately 2 billion and they are hungry. Mice have invaded and devoured crops in 22 counties that surround the lake. Walls and ditches have been constructed to keep the ravenous hordes out. It is reported that over 2.3 million or 90 tons of mice have been killed.
Residents in the Human province of Yiyang County have been clubbing mice to death using shovels and other implements. So many mice have been killed that their bodies have filled a ditch. Some residents have used fish nets to scoop the mice out.
Damage to dikes has also happened, especially in areas where officials where slow to respond to the invasion. Things are likely to get worse as more floods are forecast for the area.