Massive rat infestation in Aussie fishing town becomes nightmare
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Content Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions and mentions of animal death, particularly related to a rat infestation. Reader discretion is advised.
When going around the beautiful beaches of Australia and the pristine, tranquil fishing towns dotting our great nation, we usually imagine tranquillity, friendly locals, and a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.
But this is far from what a small fishing village in a remote Queensland town has experienced recently.
Nestled in the Gulf Country between the Top End and the Northern Territory lies the picturesque Karumba, a popular spot for anyone hoping to glimpse nature and wildlife in all its glory.
Strangely enough, a wildlife onslaught has brought Karumba to its knees—not the aquatic kind.
Millions of native rats have descended upon the tiny town, leaving a putrid smell due to piles of dead rodents heaped along beaches and boat ramps.
People posted videos and images on social media to show the hundreds of thousands of dead rats everywhere on the beach.
Locals were horrified by their overwhelming presence.
One woman contemplated fishing when she saw the rodents ‘running around’ and decided not to chuck her line ‘near the infested things’.
‘Yeah, we are at Karumba now, it’s ridiculous the amount of rats—you’re fishing, and they come out of the water everywhere,’ one local said.
Another local added, ‘We saw them dead or alive (but exhausted) in the water and on the shoreline.’
She added that when she returned after four days, ‘they were running on the sand’.
Local fisherman Fallon said another wave after the 2020/21 outbreak is ‘getting out of control’.
‘There’s a stench along the riverbed. Last night, with the moonlight, the river was truly alive with them,’ he said.
In addition, a Karumba fishing charter owner said that the area was ‘a bit smelly’, as rats were swimming out to a sand island.
‘But once they get out there, they can’t go anywhere, and they die, then they wash back up on the beach.’
You may be wondering why there's such a huge rat infestation in the tiny town.
Rodents are looking for more food as they jump in the water to cross to different areas, according to Associate Professor Mathew Crowther of the University of Sydney.
The wet season and last year's abundant harvest increased the breeding conditions for the rodents, with the population reaching 'really high numbers very quickly', he added.
‘Most rodents eat vegetation, seeds, they’ll eat insects, and they’ll eat everything at plague proportions,’ Crowther said, as he described the rodent plagues as ‘an interesting part of the Australian landscape’.
‘Our animals are adapted because they have these really variable rainfall patterns, and animals concurrent with that are quite successful. They can respond quickly.’
There is not much residents can do to prevent the rats from getting into their homes until nature has run its course, Crowther admitted.
‘They tend to get really high numbers, but then they start crashing because they’ve eaten their food sources out,’ he said.
Queenslanders have weighed in describing this phenomenon on social media—some stating there were 'millions and millions of rats on the road’ between Cloncurry and Winton.
‘Every dead rat on the road had another three or four rats eating it. There was about a metre between dead rats. It was insane,’ a man commented.
Another said, ‘You drive between McKinlay and Winton at night, and the ground is crawling with rats. They are that thick, they’re eating their own straight after they’re squished on the road.’
Aside from fishing towns, rats have also been known to terrorise urban settings like homes—and supermarket warehouses. Read more about it here.
Members, what do you think about this story? Have you noticed more rats roaming around in your area or your home? Let us know in the comments below!
When going around the beautiful beaches of Australia and the pristine, tranquil fishing towns dotting our great nation, we usually imagine tranquillity, friendly locals, and a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.
But this is far from what a small fishing village in a remote Queensland town has experienced recently.
Nestled in the Gulf Country between the Top End and the Northern Territory lies the picturesque Karumba, a popular spot for anyone hoping to glimpse nature and wildlife in all its glory.
Strangely enough, a wildlife onslaught has brought Karumba to its knees—not the aquatic kind.
Photos of millions of dead rats circulated on social media. Credit: Facebook
Millions of native rats have descended upon the tiny town, leaving a putrid smell due to piles of dead rodents heaped along beaches and boat ramps.
People posted videos and images on social media to show the hundreds of thousands of dead rats everywhere on the beach.
Locals were horrified by their overwhelming presence.
One woman contemplated fishing when she saw the rodents ‘running around’ and decided not to chuck her line ‘near the infested things’.
‘Yeah, we are at Karumba now, it’s ridiculous the amount of rats—you’re fishing, and they come out of the water everywhere,’ one local said.
Another local added, ‘We saw them dead or alive (but exhausted) in the water and on the shoreline.’
She added that when she returned after four days, ‘they were running on the sand’.
Local fisherman Fallon said another wave after the 2020/21 outbreak is ‘getting out of control’.
‘There’s a stench along the riverbed. Last night, with the moonlight, the river was truly alive with them,’ he said.
In addition, a Karumba fishing charter owner said that the area was ‘a bit smelly’, as rats were swimming out to a sand island.
‘But once they get out there, they can’t go anywhere, and they die, then they wash back up on the beach.’
You may be wondering why there's such a huge rat infestation in the tiny town.
Rodents are looking for more food as they jump in the water to cross to different areas, according to Associate Professor Mathew Crowther of the University of Sydney.
The wet season and last year's abundant harvest increased the breeding conditions for the rodents, with the population reaching 'really high numbers very quickly', he added.
‘Most rodents eat vegetation, seeds, they’ll eat insects, and they’ll eat everything at plague proportions,’ Crowther said, as he described the rodent plagues as ‘an interesting part of the Australian landscape’.
‘Our animals are adapted because they have these really variable rainfall patterns, and animals concurrent with that are quite successful. They can respond quickly.’
There is not much residents can do to prevent the rats from getting into their homes until nature has run its course, Crowther admitted.
‘They tend to get really high numbers, but then they start crashing because they’ve eaten their food sources out,’ he said.
Queenslanders have weighed in describing this phenomenon on social media—some stating there were 'millions and millions of rats on the road’ between Cloncurry and Winton.
‘Every dead rat on the road had another three or four rats eating it. There was about a metre between dead rats. It was insane,’ a man commented.
Another said, ‘You drive between McKinlay and Winton at night, and the ground is crawling with rats. They are that thick, they’re eating their own straight after they’re squished on the road.’
Aside from fishing towns, rats have also been known to terrorise urban settings like homes—and supermarket warehouses. Read more about it here.
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