A study of the abundances of small mammals was conducted in Idu, Uruan L.G.A of Akwa Ibom State Nigeria from April to December 2013. Indirect and direct methods for the observation of small mammals were employed in the area under study. A total of 36 individuals, consisting of 3 Orders (Rodentia, Carnivora and Pholidota) and 7 families of small mammals were encountered. The most abundant was Thryonomys swinderianus with a percentage of 63.88 followed by Rattus rattus 16.66, Cricetomys gambianus 8.33 while Crossarchus obscurus, Atherurus africanus, Xerus erythropus and Manis tricuspis accounted for 2.77 respectively. The Thryonomys swinderianus had the highest body mass of 3.9kg while, Manis tricuspis has the highest body length of 79.9cm.. The abundance and diversity index of small mammal encountered were low and this may be attributed to deforestation, habitat loss, hunting and other anthropogenic activities in the study area. There is therefore a great need for conservation and management practices to protect these vulnerable mammals and their habitats. © JASEM http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v19i1.9Introduction Small mammals are the most diverse group of mammals and account for more than half of the total mammalian fauna in any given area (Vieira and de Moraes, 2006;Walker et al., 2007;Napolitano et al., 2008). Their success is probably due to the fact that they have small body size, short breeding cycle, and the ability to gnaw and eat wide variety of food (Reuben et. al., 2013). Small body size enables them to adapt to wide range of macrohabitats such as caves, tree tops (nests), hollows on tree, burrowing etc. Iyawe (1989), reported a total of 392 species of small mammal belonging to five families of rodent and four families of Shrews in Ogba forest reserve in Nigeria. Also, Anadu (2006), reported 75% of rodents and 22% of shrews (small mammals) of the total population of mammals in the Montane forest of Obudu plateau in Cross River State, Nigeria. However, emphasis has been placed on the small mammal species probably because they serve as integral part to the success of terrestrial (forest) ecosystem. For example Rabinowitz and Walker (1991) reported that Rodents and Shrews are characterized by high productivity rates, they served as vital food sources for a large number of mediumsized predators such as mongooses (Herpestes spp.), civets (Nandinia spp.), raptors likes owls (Strix spp.), goshawks (Accipiter spp.) and some reptiles like snakes (e.g Python regius) (Reuben et. al., 2013). They are therefore a very important link in flow of energy in the food chain of degraded forest ecosystem.Small mammals are widely distributed to nearly all terrestrial ecosystem, in semi-arid or arid areas (Kerley and Erasmus, 1992;Francis et al., 2014). Small mammals' distribution and abundance are influenced by factors such as nature and density of vegetation, climate condition, disease predation and habitat exploitation by humans (Vieira and de Moraes, 2006). Above all, small mammals are good bio-indicators of ...

The succession pattern of insects associated with the strangling and slaughtering of rat (Rattus norvegicus) was conducted between March and June 2017. Four (4) Albino Wistar rats were killed using strangle and slaughter methods, one method for a pair. The rat carcasses were secured from scavengers and restricted from human interference in a way that did not necessarily restrict access to the carcasses and also enabled insect collection. Insects were collected daily by hand picking and with the aid of aerial net, forceps and fine paintbrush. Collection was done within short period while checking the physical condition of carcass to note the stages of decay. Six insect families of three orders were collected from the carcass killed by strangling namely the Muscidae (32%), Sarcophagidae (16%), Calliphoridae (16%), Dermestidae (16%), Chrysomelidae (4%) and Cleridae (5%). In the carcass killed by slaughtering method, the families obtained were Muscidae (50%), Sarcophagidae (18%) Calliphoridae (18%), Dermestidae (9%), Staphylindae (5%). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the succession pattern of the insects though more individuals were obtained in the strangled carcass (55%) compared to the slaughtered carcass (45%). This study shows that the succession pattern may have no significant or obvious influence on the decomposition of carcasses. Therefore there is need to probe further into other killing methods.

Study on the abundance and composition of crabs in Uta Ewa brackish water was carried out between January and May 2012 at two sampling stations. The physicochemical parameters of the water were measured in situ using standard methods according to APHA (1998). Crabs species were collected at two sampling stations using square lift net trap, while at low tide, crab species were collected by hand-picking at random and preserved in a chest box for identification. Air and Water temperature ranges from 27.9-31.6