SAPPORO - In Fukushima Town, located in southern Hokkaido, a massive surge in rodent populations is causing widespread damage to rice and other crops. The situation has become so severe that home centers are struggling to keep up with demand for rodent traps, with shelves completely emptied and supply chains unable to restock in time.
Footage captured by UHB's news crew using small surveillance cameras shows rodents scurrying through a farmer’s storage facility late at night on June 16th. As one rodent became stuck on a glue trap, others quickly gathered around to investigate.
"This year is especially bad. I think I’ve caught 500 or 600 already," said farmer Takao Sato. In Fukushima Town, rodents have been multiplying rapidly since May, causing extensive damage to Sato's fields, where he has farmed for over 40 years. "These are rodent burrows. And those are dead rodents. Nearly everything planted from seed has been affected. I planted 1,000 corn seeds, and about half were eaten. Altogether, I’ve spent about 100,000 yen on glue traps and other countermeasures," Sato explained.
The financial toll is not limited to pest control; many farmers have been forced to replant entire fields. Another farmer reported that strawberries and cucumbers grown in greenhouses have also been heavily damaged. "The rodents didn’t come today. But you can clearly see their bite marks," a female farmer remarked. Having farmed for nearly 80 years, she added, "They even eat strawberries and cucumbers. I’ve never seen a year like this before. Something is really abnormal this year."
In May, rodents also began targeting rice stocks, and on the day of the interview, they were spotted attempting to approach stored rice once again. "Got one on the sheet now," said the female farmer as she monitored her traps.
The surge in rodent activity has also overwhelmed retailers. "Here at this home center, only the rodent control section is completely emptied. In fact, inventory has run out across all of Hokkaido," reported journalist Shinya Nakamura. Sales of rodent control products have soared to more than ten times their usual levels, with restocking unable to meet the ongoing demand.
Experts are now trying to understand what triggered the sudden boom in the rodent population. According to the Hokkaido Research Organization, the key factor may be last year’s bumper crop of beech nuts in areas south of Kuromatsunai. "The beech nut harvest was exceptionally abundant last year. That provided a highly favorable food supply, leading to a population explosion," explained forestry researcher Kazuhiro Nanno. In 2021, surveys found 49 beech nuts per square meter; for two years following that, none were recorded. However, by 2024, the count had surged to 624 per square meter. The extraordinary heat in 2023 is believed to have contributed to the mast year, feeding a rapid expansion in the rodent population.
As for how long the outbreak will continue, Nanno suggested: "Rodents reach maturity in one to two months. When wild mice grow too numerous, they naturally start regulating their own reproduction. We expect their activity in town to subside in the coming months."
Source: 北海道ニュースUHB
