Distribution and abundance of rodents in farmlands: a case study in Alleltu Woreda, Ethiopia

A study on the distribution and abundance of rodents was carried out in three live trapping grids in wheat, bean and lentil fields in Alleltu Woreda, Ethiopia. A survey was also conducted in habitats outside the cul tivated fields. A total of 260 rodents were trapped from the cultivated fields during 3087 trap-nights and 61 from outside cultivated areas during 675 trap-nights. The rodents trapped were Mastomys natalensis , Mus mahomet and Arvicanthis abyssinicus. Rodent populations reached their peak when the crops were maturing, and declined after harvest. Distribution and abundance of rodents showed significant temporal variation. M. natalensis was the dominant species in the cultivated fields whereas A. abyssinicus was more outside the cultivated fields. The population density of rodents estimated by Capture - Mark - Recapture method ranged from 120/ha in the lentil field to 379/ha in the wheat field. The total biomass of rodents in wheat, bean and lentil grids was 5019 g, 2200 g and 1520 g, respectively. SINET: Ethiopian Journal of Science Vol. 29(1) 2006: 63–7

A preliminary survey of Erythrocebus patas in Anbesa Chaka, Bambesi Woreda of Benishangul-Gumuz Region, western Ethiopia

A preliminary survey conducted in Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Bambesi Woreda from late January to early February, 2010 resulted in finding two groups of the same taxon of patas monkeys. Each of the two groups had one adult male, and one of them consisted of 33 individuals, where as the other had a total of 23 individuals including the adult males, adult and sub-adult females and infants. The survey was conducted on foot and by a vehicle and behavioural data were collected using adlibtum method. From the structure of the two groups and the season during which they probably had their newborns, they belong to the species Erythrocebus patas which are also found elsewhere. However, the long black fur coloration along the shoulder, back and upper fore limbs of the males is different from any of the four different subspecies, namely, E. patas patas, E. patas villiersi, E. patas pyrrhonotus and E. patas baumstarki, and others found in Athi plains, southeast of Nairobi and east of the rift valley, which have pink faces and a blue nasal spot and not given subspecific names. Thus, it is reasonable to think of the Benishangul patas as subspecies, as they are distinct from the other subspecies