Abstract
A study on reproductive and feeding ecology of rodents was conducted in agricultural areas of some selected kebeles (the smallest administrative unit in Ethiopia) of Sekoru district from February 2014 to December 2014. Rodents were captured by snap trapping using rat traps. During the whole study period, four rodent species, namely, Rattus rattus, Mastomys natalensis, Arvicanthis dembeensis and Lemniscomys barbarus were identified from a total of 326 rodents captured in 1320 trap nights. The proportion of male and female individuals captured was not different from a 1:1 ratio. Scrotal males and perforate females were captured throughout the study period though reproduction was seasonal. Breeding started in the later part of the rainy season and declined at the beginning of the dry season. The average number of embryo counted per pregnant females was 5.57±1.09, 8.65±1.80, 6.38.±1.70 and 4.00 ± 1.41 for R. rattus, M. natalensis, L. barbarus and A. dembeensis, respectively. The food items identified during the stomach content analysis were grouped into leaves, seeds, animal matter and unrecognized food item. There was no variation in the type of food item identified among the four rodent species. Some variations were observed in the proportion of the different food items consumed by the four rodent species in different trapping sessions. Awareness creation and the need of rodent pest control in all growth stage of crops and after harvest were recommended. Key words: Arvicanthis, breeding, feeding, Lemniscomys, Mastomys, Rattus, Sekoru.
Highlights
Pest animals cause a considerable yield loss throughout the world
From a total of 326 rodents captured in 1320 trap nights, four rodent species were identified: namely, Rattus rattus, Lemniscomys barbarus, Mastomus natalensis and Arvicanthis dembeensis
Among the four rodent species identified in the present study area, M. natalensis and A. dembeensis were recognized as the major pest species in agricultural fields by different researchers in other parts of Ethiopia (Bekele et al, 1993; Bekele and Leirs, 1997; Bekele et al, 2003; Lavrenchenko et al, 1998)
Summary
Pest animals cause a considerable yield loss throughout the world. Rodents are regarded as the number one group of mammals in terms of the problems they create in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and public health (Makundi et al, 1999; Brown et al, 1999). In East Africa, pest rodents cause considerable loss of agricultural crops. In Tanzania, for example, they cause an estimated pre-harvest loss of 15% in maize per annum (Mulungu et al, 2003). Mwanjabe and Leirs (1997) reported the damage to be more than 80% in certain cropping seasons and locations during rodent outbreaks. Taylor (1968) reported 20% damage to maize plantation, 34-100% loss of young wheat in some fields and 34% loss of barely after outbreak of rodents in western Kenya in 1962.
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