When Bamboo Blooms, Disaster Strikes: Mizoram Faces Another Cycle of Rodent Invasions and Crop Destruction"

A.K.Rai, KalimNews, Kalimpong, September 27, 2025 : Mizoram, a mountainous state nestled in the northeastern corner of India, has long been plagued by the cyclical phenomenon of bamboo flowering and the resulting rodent outbreaks that devastate crops, creating famine-like conditions. This region, heavily forested with bamboo, is home to Melocanna baccifera, a bamboo species that only flowers once every 48 years. When it does, the bamboo bears large quantities of fruit, sparking an explosion in the rat population. These rats ravage the crops, leaving the villages of Mizoram grappling with food shortages and destruction, and leading to severe human suffering.

Historically, this phenomenon, locally referred to as the mautam, has had devastating consequences. The last major mautam event occurred from 2006 to 2008, following the blooming of Melocanna baccifera. Reports from both the past and the present emphasize the gravity of the situation: during past bamboo masting events, Mizoram experienced widespread famine, with thousands of lives lost. This recurrence of mautam is more than just a natural occurrence; it has become ingrained in the cultural and historical consciousness of the Mizo people. The "dying of the bamboo," followed by a rat invasion, has repeatedly created food insecurity, and despite attempts at control, the sheer scale of the infestation has proved difficult to manage.

As the bamboo begins to flower again in 2025, anxiety has resurfaced across Mizoram. Farmers and village leaders are already bracing for impact. The current outbreak, which has spread to 15 villages in the Mamit district of northern Mizoram, is a worrying signal of what may be to come. Following the mautam’s rhythm, the bamboo will soon cover the region in an explosion of flowering, which, in turn, will trigger an increase in the rat population. In anticipation of the looming crisis, the Mizoram government has dispatched agricultural officials with rodenticides and other control measures. However, past experiences suggest that these efforts may only mitigate the immediate damage rather than prevent the widespread famine that often follows.

The bamboo species responsible for this cycle, Melocanna baccifera, is unique in its semelparous masting reproduction, where it flowers en masse once every 48 years, producing fruits that attract rodents. This highly synchronized flowering sets off a chain of events: first, the rats breed prolifically, often earlier than in non-masting years due to the abundance of food, and by the time the bamboo fruiting reaches its peak in July to August, the rats’ population has grown exponentially. With the arrival of maturing maize and rice in the fields, the rats begin their destruction, devouring entire crops. The most severe damage typically occurs when immature rats ravage rice paddies, creating a distinctive and often unfamiliar pattern of destruction.

In 1958-1960, the region faced one of its worst mautam events, which was followed by the devastation of rice crops and an ensuing famine. The Indian government at the time failed to provide adequate food relief, exacerbating the situation and triggering a 20-year guerrilla war led by Zoramthanga, the current Chief Minister of Mizoram. Zoramthanga, once a guerrilla leader, is now tasked with managing the fallout of the bamboo flowering event. The fear that the region may once again face widespread hunger and loss of life is deeply entrenched in the collective memory of the Mizo people, many of whom recount the devastating effects of the 1959 mautam.

The current situation in Mizoram reflects a long-standing ecological paradox, where the agricultural cycle is intimately linked with the flowering of bamboo and the subsequent rat invasions. Local experts like Pu C. Rokhuma, a former educator and renowned figure in Mizoram's rodent control efforts, have long been aware of the threat posed by these cycles. In 1951, Rokhuma founded the Anti-Famine Campaign, and during the 1959 mautam, he spearheaded the rodent control initiative. Despite trapping and poison efforts, the rat population remained unmanageable, leading to a famine that claimed between 10,000 and 15,000 lives. Rokhuma’s efforts continue today, as he remains involved in managing rodent control campaigns during every mautam event.

The bamboo forests of Mizoram are not just a source of sustenance for the people but are also a vital part of the local culture. The bamboo, or mautak as it is called in the Mizo language, is used in nearly every aspect of daily life—from constructing homes to creating everyday tools. However, its reproductive cycle, with its gregarious flowering and subsequent die-off, leads to an ecological imbalance that devastates both the local ecosystem and the people who depend on it. The rat population, which feeds on the bamboo fruit, spirals out of control, leading to an infestation that destroys crops, leaving behind fields of ruined rice and maize.

The mautam has a long and complex history. The bamboo that causes these outbreaks spreads its rhizomes quickly, covering vast tracts of land. However, it waits 48 years before flowering, elders recollect. 

The exact mechanism behind this rare phenomenon remains a botanical mystery, with theories suggesting genetic memory or an environmental cue that triggers the synchronized flowering. In Mizoram, the flowering is preceded by a swarm of stinkbugs that feed on the bamboo nectar, signaling the onset of the mautam. Once the bamboo flowers, the seeds, rich in protein, attract the rats, which breed in unprecedented numbers, wreaking havoc on the region’s crops.

In preparation for the expected rat invasion, local authorities have ramped up their rodent control measures. However, many in Mizoram, particularly the elders, remain resigned to the inevitability of the mautam, viewing it as part of the natural cycle. The devastation brought by the bamboo flowering has become so ingrained in the cultural memory of the Mizo people that many see it as an event beyond human control, something that must be endured until the bamboo sprouts again in another 48 years.

This cyclical disaster brings to light the delicate balance between humans and nature. While the rats wreak havoc, the bamboo will eventually die off, only to start the cycle anew. Some experts believe that understanding the connection between bamboo flowering, rat breeding, and crop destruction may eventually lead to predictive models that can help alleviate the suffering caused by these outbreaks. Such models could help farmers prepare in advance, minimizing crop losses and potentially averting famine.

In the meantime, Mizoram’s people continue to fight an age-old battle against nature, holding out hope that this latest mautam event will not be as devastating as its predecessors. However, as the bamboo flowers once again, the looming threat of widespread crop destruction and famine remains an ever-present reality for those living in the shadow of these ancient, mysterious cycles.