FEEDING ECOLOGY OF PEST RODENTS FROM ARBAMINCH FOREST AND FARMLSNDS, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Eleven species of rodents were recorded from Arbantinch forest and farml~ds of
Ethiopia during a study carried out from August 2005 to April 2006 to assess diet and pest status based
on stomach content analysis. A total of 1% specimens were trapped in 1800 trap nights. Feeding
ecology of most rodents was highly diverse. Most species.of rodents appeared to be opportunistic in
their feeding, ~ubsisting on a variety of food items. During the dry season, most of the rodent species
relied heavily on seeds. Arthropods were con.<;umed more during the wet season. The body weight of
most rodents decreased during the dry season and increased during the wet season. Four species (M.
natalensis, A. dembeensis, M. musculus and Hystrix cristata) were recorded as major pests of maize crops.
M. natalensis consumed more quantity of maize seed fragments. These rodents caused 5.75% damage on
maize crops. The damage level was high at the periphery (7.1 %) and low at the centre (4.4%) of maize
plantation. The present study has shown that rodent pests were not uniformly distributed in maize
farmlands. The pattern of rodent pest distribution may be mostly attributed to proximity of the farm fo
the natural cov.er.