Abstract:
Ecological study on the relative abundance, diet composition and breeding season of rodents in
cultivated and grassland habitats in Shashogo District, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia was
carried out from February, 2013 to August 2013. The study was carried out using snap traps in
farm and grassland habitats. A total of 106 individuals belonging to three species were captured
using snap-traps, in 450 trap nights. The three rodent species recorded in this were: -
Arvicanthis dembeensis (38.7%), Mastomys erythroleucus (23.6%) and Rattus rattus (37.7%).
The distribution of species varied between habitats and months. Three and two rodent species
were trapped from farm and grassland habitats respectively. The populations of these species
were also varied from month to month; highest number of rodents was captured during the
months of June to August and less during the months of March to May. More individuals were
trapped from the farmlands. There was also significant variation in trap success between the two
habitat types. The proportion of adult, sub-adult and young individuals showed significant
variation among species and months. Number of pregnant females and embryo count was higher
during the months of June to August than the months of March to May. Diet analysis of the
stomach content of the rodents of snap trapped individual showed higher proportion of plant
matter than animal matter. Vegetation cover, rainfall and human interference were the major
factors affecting the abundance and distribution of rodents in the study area.
