SUSTAINABLE RODENT CONTROL FOR
SUBSISTENCE FARMERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
E.F. von Maltitz, F. Kirsten, P.S. Malebana 1,
S.R. Belmain, A.N. Meyer 2,
C.T. Chimimba and A.D.S. Bastos 3
1 ARC-PPRI,
South Africa;
2 NRI, University of Greenwich, Kent, UK
3 Mammal Research Institute, Univ Pretoria, South Africa
Technology transfer and promotion of
ecologically-based and sustainable rodent
control strategies in South Africa 2002-2006
Participated:
ARC-PPRI
LIMPOPO DEPT AGRIC & ENVIRONMENT
NRI (UK)
KZN DEPT AGRIC & ENVIRONM AFFAIRS
MAMMAL RI, UNIV PRETORIA
Villagers in Limpopo & KZN-North Region
UNIVERSITY of VENDA for S&T
UNIVERSITY of the NORTH (LIMPOPO)
Funded:
DFID CPP
ARC-SRL programme (KZN)
SUSTAINABLE RODENT CONTROL FOR
SUBSISTENCE FARMERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Introduction
Materials and methods
Results
Discussion
Introduction
Why can households not
effectively control rodents ?
Super Intelligent Rodents ?
Rodent resistance ?
Sleeping Fat Cats ?
South Africa
SOUTH AFRICA – Limpopo Province
SOUTH AFRICA – KwaZulu-Natal
North Region
SUSTAINABLE RODENT CONTROL FOR
SUBSISTENCE FARMERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Introduction
Material and methods
Results
Discussion
Surveys
•
•
•
•
Pre- and post-trapping survey
Socio-economic assessment
Anthropological study
Market survey
Baseline data
•
•
•
•
•
Training on rodent trapping and data collecting
Rodent trapping in houses
Crop field trapping
Rodent taxonomy
Cross-cutting with project RatZooMan
Baseline data:
Training on trapping and rodent data collecting
Baseline data:
Trapping in and around 280 houses
Four crop fields in Limpopo
Baseline data: Rodent identification
Baseline data: RatZooMan
SUSTAINABLE RODENT CONTROL FOR
SUBSISTENCE FARMERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Introduction
Materials and methods
Results
Discussion
Surveys
Methods used by farmers in Limpopo and
KwaZulu-Natal to protect their stored crops
and possessions from rodent damage
Province
Method
Limpopo
KwaZulu-Natal
Rodenticide
37%
41%
Cats
13%
15%
Traps
5%
8%
Sticky traps / glue
1%
1%
Insecticide
1%
1%
Other methods
1%
1%
No control
58%
37%
Market survey
Trap success: 80 houses Limpopo
Limpopo all villages
3 night consecutive trapping
intensive trapping
Percentage trap success
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Sep
Nov
Jan
Mar
May
Jul
Census period
Sep
Nov
Jan
Mar
Trap success: 200 houses KZN
Mvuzini village
percentage trap success
intensive trapping
Control
15
10
5
0
Oct/Nov
Nov/Dec
Dec/Jan
Jan/Feb
Tholakele and Ophuzana (control)
percentage trap success
intensive trapping (Tholakele)
control (Ophuzana)
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Oct/Nov
Nov/Dec
Dec/Jan
census period
Jan/Feb
Rodent community structure:
different habitats in houses
Bloublommetjieskloof village
unidentified
Percentage of total species
100%
Mus musculus
80%
Aethomys sp
Mastomys sp
60%
Rattus rattus
40%
20%
0%
Bed room
dining
room
kitchen
other
rooms
store
outside
Locality where rodents were trapped
Mapate village
Percentage of total species
100%
90%
Unidentified
80%
Otomys sp
70%
Rhabdomys sp
60%
Mus musculus
50%
Aethomys sp
40%
Rattus rattus
30%
Mastomys sp
20%
10%
0%
Bed room
Kitchen
Other rooms
store
Locality where rodents were trapped
Species composition:
Rodents trapped in four villages in Limpopo
100%
Percent of total species composition
Unidentified
90%
Tatera leucogaster
80%
Saccostomus
campestris
Rhabdomys pumilio
70%
60%
Otomys angoniensis
50%
Myosorex.sp
40%
Mus musculus
30%
Lemniscomys rosilia
20%
Aethomys sp. *
10%
Mastomys sp.**
0%
Rattus tanezumi
BB Kloof
GaPhaahla
Mapate
Locality where rodents were trapped
Nkomo B
Rattus rattus
Small mammals trapped in houses and in crop
fields in four villages in Limpopo 2002-2004
Village
BBKloof
GaPhaahla
Species
H
F
H
Aethomys ineptus
X
X
X
Aethomys namaquensis
X
X
X
F
Nkomo
H
F
X
Mapate
H
F
RZM
X
X
X
X
Dasymys incomtus
X
Lemniscomys rosalia
Mastomys coucha
X
Mastomys natalensis
X
Mus musculus
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Mus minutoides
X
Otomys angoniensis
Rattus rattus
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Rhabdomys pumilio
X
X
Steatomys sp
Tatera leucogaster
X
Elephantulus sp.
X
Myosorex sp.
X
X
Rattus tanezumi
Saccostomus campestris
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Rattus tanezumi – first record in South Africa
Rodents
trapped
in
Limpopo
crop
fields
2002Rodents trapped over a monthly three-night period in
2004
Limpopo crop fields from
October 2002 to April 2004
BBkloof
Mapate
Grand Total
GaPhaahla
Nkomo
Linear (Grand Total)
20
15
10
R 2 0.315 =
5
Census period
Jul-04
Jun-04
Apr-04
Mar-04
Feb-04
Dec-03
Nov-03
Oct-03
Aug-03
Jul-03
Jun-03
Apr-03
Mar-03
Feb-03
Dec-02
Nov-02
Oct-02
0
Sep-02
Number of catches
25
Crop fields: rodent damage
Rodent zoonosis
Rodents
N = 202
Dogs
N = 34
Plague
0
0
Toxoplasmosis
18,3%
52,9%
Leptospirosis
6,7%
97%
SUSTAINABLE RODENT CONTROL FOR
SUBSISTENCE FARMERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Introduction
Materials and methods
Results
Discussion
Active participation – better understanding
Dissemination of results: feedback
Dissemination of results: radio
Development of public-private service provision:
Training
Development of public-private service provision:
Improved rodent control tools produced locally
Conclusion