Space Use, Circadian Activity Pattern, and Mating System of the Nocturnal Tree Rat Thallomys Nigricauda

Importance of woody vegetation for foraging site selection in the Southern Pied Babbler (Turdoides bicolor) under two different land use regimes

“…/j.jaridenv.2007 large and solitary shrubs and trees are important habitat structures for animals and are used as nesting, perching and foraging sites and provide shelter against predators and extreme climatic conditions (Blaum et al, 2007b;Cooper and Whiting, 2000;Dean et al, 1999;Milton and Dean, 1995). Consequently, the increase of shrubs and the decrease in trees changes inter-patch distances between habitat structures and affects habitat connectivity, particularly for arboreal species (Eccard et al, 2004;Huey and Pianka, 1977).…”

Use of large Acacia trees by the cavity dwelling Black-tailed Tree Rat in the Southern Kalahari

“…Plenty of empty nests sites were available in the area. The abundance of empty nest sites might have been due to the fact that male tree rats use several trees for daytime roosts within their home range (Eccard et al, 2004), and our study did not separate breeding nests from daytime roosts. It could also be possible, that nests are regularly abandoned by breeding females.…”

“…Nests and food on a small spatial scale may thus be the limiting factors for the presence of tree rats. Tree rats are reported to live in groups or colonies (Nel, 1975;Rautenbach, 1982), however, only solitary nesting females have been observed at the site of our study in continuous savanna woodland (Eccard et al, 2004). The objectives of the present study were to investigate the extent to which the Black-tailed Tree Rat is dependant on vegetation structure and on particular tree species.…”

“…1). Focussing on nest sites and on food plants (A. mellifera, Eccard et al, 2004), we compared among patches with and without large A. erioloba trees, and compared patches with trees but with or without the presence of tree rats. Live-trapping confirmed that the identified signs belonged to tree rats.…”

“…However, little is known about tree rat's requirements for nesting trees. Breeding females are using very small home ranges (o0.25 ha) with a nest and a foraging site, mainly small Acacia trees (Acacia mellifera, A. luederitzii), close together (Eccard et al, 2004). Nests and food on a small spatial scale may thus be the limiting factors for the presence of tree rats.…”