PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Animal Behavior - The Damage To Grasslands In The Netherlands From Mouse Plague Is Now Visible From SPACE, Covering OVER 29,000 ACRES!

January 12, 2015 - THE NETHERLANDS - A mouse plague has caused so much damage to grasslands in the northern Netherlands that the barren pasture is visible from space.

The mice population in the province of Friesland has “exploded” following last year’s hot, dry summer and mild winter, with rodents tunneling under pasture and eating grass roots.

Satellite images show damage to more than 12,000 hectares (29,652 acres) of fields, Wageningen University’s research institute Alterra wrote in a report in its website.

Damage in Mice Fries grassland

Movements in the index of green grass for a plot with mice damage (the tip) and a plot mice without damage (the ball), from the Groenmonitor.nl

DMC satellite photo of October 3, 2014 with the black circles in the first perceptible mice damage

DMC satellite photo of November 1, 2014 with the black circles observable mice damage

DMC satellite on December 28, 2014 with the acreage mice damage

Friesland accounts for about 19 percent of Dutch pasture and is home to 18 percent of the Netherlands’ dairy cattle, according to data from statistics office CBS.

The mice are killing the grass, leaving pasture dead and brown, Alterra said.

The satellite photo of 18 September shows at first glance not see anything special. Just because we know that we can later a mouse infestation
takes place afterwards still recognize three small spots where the grass is already compromised.

On the satellite picture of November 2, the mice damage is already visible on a large scale on the grassland in the two black circles

The satellite image from 25 December shows a dramatic deterioration of the situation (the white spots are clouds).

“Mouse damage has increased explosively in large parts of southern Friesland,” Alterra wrote.

It’s possible the mice population covers larger areas, but that the grass damage is “not yet sufficient that it can be mapped with satellite imagery.” - Bloomberg.

EXTREME WEATHER: Victoria Set To Face Some Of Its Worst Fire Conditions Ever - Temperatures Above 40C!

January 02, 2013 - AUSTRALIA - Victoria is set to experience some of its worst fire conditions since Black Saturday, with most of the state expecting temperatures above 40C on Friday, as well as fresh northerly winds. 

Victoria is set to experience some of its worst fire conditions since Black Saturday, officials say. AAP.

In Victoria's northwest, Mildura is tipped to have six days in a row above 40C.  Country Fire Authority (CFA) state duty officer Brett Boatman says abundant growth in the dry grasslands and drying forests mean there will be a very high fire danger.  He said conditions will be extreme in the southwest and very high in other areas.  "It is certainly one of the higher fire danger days I have seen since Black Saturday, no doubt," Mr Boatman told AAP.  "We have had a couple of quiet fire seasons and reasonably damp summer last year, a good winter, abundant growth, especially in the grasslands. 

"There is a lot of fuel out there. So then you add that into the hot, dry weather we are experiencing at the moment; that brings together all the elements that bring about severe and extreme fire conditions."  Mr Boatman said it was likely there would be total fire bans but he does not expect a code red day to be declared.  He said with a lot of people on holidays it was important they understand the conditions in the area they are in.  Melbourne is tipped to reach 39C on Friday, with Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Dean Stewart predicting many suburbs would likely hit 40C.  He said while Melbourne would have cooler weather on Saturday and Sunday, the change would not have any impact north of the Great Dividing Range.  Mildura's six-day hot spell will begin on Thursday and peak with a 45C day on Tuesday.  In the state's northeast Yarrawonga is expected to have five days above 40C. - Herald Sun.