Browsing by Author "Kongola, Eliud Francis"

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Movements of rodents and home range of rattus in domestic and peri-domestic areas in Berega village, Morogoro, Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2013) Kongola, Eliud Francis
The aim of this study was to estimate the home range size of Rattus rattns by using radio telemetry and range of movements of different rodent species by using Rhodamine B biomarker in domestic and peri domestic areas in post-harvest, pre planting and pre-harvesting seasons in Berega village, Kilosa district, Morogoro region, Tanzania; for developing ecologically based rodent management. The rodent species composition in the study area was found to be dominated by nine species namely: Rattus rattus, Aethomys chrysophilus, Aconiys spinosissitnus, Mus minutoides, Lentniscomys zebra, Gerbilliscus vicinus, Grammomys dolichurus, Mastomys natalensis and Arvicanthis neumanni. Rattus rattus were found spending most of their time in houses especially in roofs. Rattus rattus had a small mean home range size of 5.09 (± SD = 5.87) m2 calculated from Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP). They were active during night hours (nocturnal). Rattus rattus movements were restricted in houses only and did not move far aw'ay from domestic areas whereas M. natalensis were found to be entering houses presumably depending on the availability of food in the field. Maximum daily movement registered for Af. Natalensis was 100 m. The findings indicate that R. rattus and M. natalensis overlap in their resource use because M. natalensis enter houses in which R. rattus inhabit during food shortage in the field. It is recommended that management practices such as use of rodenticides. environmental manipulation and biological control measures should take into account the home range size and distance moved by rodent pest species in order to get best control results which are economically viable and environmentally friendly.