Save the mice!
Stuff reports:
An animal activist group’s call not to kill mice plaguing rural parts of Australia in the name of “human supremacy” has been labelled “stupid” by politicians.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) spokesperson Aleesha Naxakis told NCA NewsWire the “bright, curious animals” are just looking for food to survive.
“They shouldn’t be robbed of that right because of the dangerous notion of human supremacy.”
Rural parts of Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia are enduring a once-in-a-decade mouse plague, ruining crops and livelihoods.
Naxakis suggested instead of poisoning the “innocent” rodents, farmers should set up humane traps to gently catch and release the mice unharmed.
Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack snapped back, telling News.com.au the “real rats” in this plague are the “people who come out with bloody stupid ideas like this”.
PETA are right. The mice should be humanely caught and released. They should be released in the houses of PETA spokespersons.
People may not realise how quickly mice breed. Here’s the timeline for one pregnant mouse.
- Day 1 – 1 pregnant mouse
- Day 20 – 8 mice, of which four are female
- Day 60 – four pregnant mice
- Day 80 – 36 mice, of which 18 are female
- Day 120 – 18 pregnant mice
- Day 140 – 180 mice, of which 90 are female
- Day 180 – 90 pregnant mice
- Day 220 – 810 mice, of which 405 are female