Plague of Rodents 

As many of you will be aware there are more rats and mice causing problems in homes and buildings this year. Rodent numbers are high all over New Zealand and DoC will be doing their bit in the forests to protect birds.

The Department of Conservation has been given another $20 million to control rats over 800,000 ha because climate change has caused the third mast season in four years. Mast seasons are when there is bumper production of seed in the bush on which rodents feed. This raises rodent populations and then in Autumn/Winter, those rodents seek shelter and other sources of food. All too often our homes, farms and other buildings provide just what the rodents are seeking.

Kiwicare's range of rodent control products have been selling at rates very much higher than normal and this shows that home and business owners are dealing with rodents that have entered their buildings.

In recent news reports, the rodent numbers were described as being of "biblical proportions" and the three mast seasons in four years as being "really unusual".

The help of home and business owners in controlling rats and mice will be an important part of the government's Predator Free 2050 project.

• More on how to control rats and mice.
• View the 1-2-3 Rodent Control Programme