The poisonous bait that is being used to eradicate a huge mouse plague ravaging large parts of Australia is having a deadly effect on native wildlife, experts have warned.
In a statement released earlier this week, the New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency asked the public to "think carefully" about the location and amount of poisonous bait that is being used after an investigation by the organization found that dozens of birds in the state had died after ingesting the poison.
A mixture of poisonous baits and other deadly traps have been set in southeast Australia to deal with the huge surge in mouse populations. Experts say the infestation is the result of wet weather, which provides the mice with plenty of food and boosts their rapid reproductive cycle.
Farmers across the region have faced the brunt of the infestation with reports of mice devastating crops, destroying farm equipment and causing power outages. The state government has called the plague “absolutely unprecedented” and warned that it could cause great economic damage.