Mkomwa, Herieth, Makundi, Rhodes, Belmain, Steven ORCID: 0000-0002-5590-7545 , Rija, Alfan A., Massawe, Apia, Ponchon, Aurore, Selemani, Mwajabu, Espinaze, Marcela P.A. and Telfer, Sandra (2024) Dynamic movement patterns of commensal rodents Mastomys natalensis and Rattus rattus: determining differential habitat use using Rhodamine B. Pest Management Science. pp. 1-11. ISSN 1526-498X (Print), 1526-4998 (Online) (doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.8435)

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Understanding movement patterns of rodent pests is essential for planning management strategies. Currently, for many rural village contexts, there is limited information on how rodents move between domestic and peridomestic areas, and the surrounding habitats. We investigated movement of the multimammate rat, Mastomys natalensis and the black rat, Rattus rattus in nine villages in Kilombero District, Tanzania. We used Rhodamine B (RhB) baits placed inside houses (R. rattus preferred habitat) in five villages and placed outside (M. natalensis preferred habitat) in four villages.
RESULTS: Whilst both species were rarely captured in their nonpreferred habitat (5% M. natalensis inside houses; 23% R. rattus outside houses), evidence of RhB consumption when bait was in nonpreferred habitat was high for both species (50% M. natalensis; 57% R. rattus), indicating frequent movement to nonpreferred habitats. Whilst R. rattus movement distances were consistent with previous studies (maximum 81 m), within our

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Mastomys natalensis; Rattus rattus; pest rodents; habitat preference; consumption rate and Tanzania
Subjects:	Q Science > Q Science (General) S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General) S Agriculture > SF Animal culture
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Centre for Sustainable Agriculture 4 One Health Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Centre for Sustainable Agriculture 4 One Health > Behavioural Ecology
Last Modified:	30 Sep 2024 15:43
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/48225

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