Population ecology of the house mouse (Mus musculus) in rural human habitations of Pothwar, Pakistan
2017
Khanam, Surrya | Mushtaq, Muhammad | Nadeem, Muhammad Sajid | Kayani, Amjad Rashid
Knowledge of pest species’ population characteristics is of great importance for the development of effective management plans for their control. The present study was intended to determine the population structure and reproduction patterns of the house mouse (Mus musculus) in the rural human habitation of Pothwar, Pakistan. Animal trapping was conducted in four villages of Pothwar between March 2012 and February 2014 on a seasonal basis. A total of 436 individuals of M. musculus were captured. The study showed that abundance of this rodent species was higher in winter and autumn seasons. The species sex ratio in the studied area was female-biased. The population of M. musculus contained individuals of different age groups but was always dominated by adult individuals. Breeding activity was continuous throughout the year and reproductively active individuals relatively outnumbered inactive individuals. The results showed that village indoor habitats provided a suitable environment for mouse populations all the year round, especially during colder months. The information obtained from this study will be helpful in developing control strategies for M. musculus populations in commensal habitats.
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