Denning behaviour of ship rats (Rattus rattus) on Taukihepa, a seabird breeding island

Autor:	Henrik Moller, Malcolm Rutherford, Grant A. Harper
Rok vydání:	2009
Předmět:	Rakiura Arboreal locomotion Ecology Cape biology.animal Seasonal breeder Animal Science and Zoology Social behaviour Biology Seabird Plant litter biology.organism_classification Sooty shearwater
Zdroj:	New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 36:343-353
ISSN:	1175-8821 0301-4223
DOI:	10.1080/03014220909510159
Popis:	Den sites of 14 ship rats (Rattus rattus) were located daily during the rat breeding season on Taukihepa (Big South Cape), a seabird island southwest of Rakiura (Stewart Island). In contrast to other New Zealand studies, no arboreal dens were found. Den sites on Taukihepa were in ferns, under logs, in woodpiles, or underground in sooty shearwater (Puffinusgriseus) breeding burrows. The number of times known den sites used was positively related to the amount of leaf litter and woodpiles near the den sites. Overall, 24% of radio‐tagged rats were sharing den sites on any given day. While there was considerable individual variation in the number of times den sites were used, female rats tended to reuse den sites more than males. Many rats were found in dens alone, but frequently males and females shared. Occasionally two females and one male denned together, as did two females, whereas males never denned with another male.
Databáze:	OpenAIRE
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