Browsing by Author "Ngowo, V."

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Effectiveness of the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) urine extracts odour against commensal rodents
(COSTECH) Mulungu, L. S.; Ngowo, V.; Mdangi, M. E.; Magadula, A. J. J.; Kapingu, M.; Mbukwa, E.; Mgina, C. A.; Mwatawala, M. W.; Kichuki, M.; Mwakalobo, A. S.; Mgode, G. F.
Effectiveness of the Domestic Cat (Felis silvestris catus) Urine Extracts Odour against Commensal Rodents
(Huria Journal) Mulungu, L. S.; Ngowo, V.; Mdangi, M. E.; Magadula, A. J. J.; Kapingu, M.; Mbukwa, E.; Mgina, C. A.; Mwatawala, M. W.; Kichuki, M.; Mwakalobo, A. S.; Mgode, G. F.
Effectiveness of the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) urine extracts odour against commensal rodents
(COSTECH, 2017) Mulungu, L. S.; Ngowo, V.; Mdangi, M. E.; Magadula, A. J. J.; Kapingu, M.; Mbukwa, E.; Mgina, C. A.; Mwatawala, M. W.; Kichuki, M.; Mwakalobo, A. S.; Mgode, G. F.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an extract of cat urine odour as a repellant of commensal rodents in houses. Cat urine was drawn and stored frozen in universal bottles at -20 0 C until use. The stored cat urine was then thawed and mixed with maize starch to form a thick dough and then granulated and dried at room temperature before being packed in a hermetically closed jar. Initially, rodent foot marks on tracking soot coat tiles were used to estimate the rat population before the cat urine extracts application. Twenty households with high and low rodent activities were selected purposively in the study area. Ten houses were treated with the urine extracts and ten others were kept untreated (control). Both treated and untreated houses were categorized at two levels (i.e. low and high rodent activities) as determined by the tracking tile foot prints. One tracking tile was placed in each of the selected houses and rodent foot marks were counted. Collected data were subjected to analysis of variance and the results showed a significant difference in rodent activities which however, depended on the sex of the cat that donated the urine base. Female cat urine extract repelled significantly more commensal rodents as compared to male cat urine extract. The repellent effect was observed from day 1 to 4; but not beyond. Our findings suggest that cat urine odour has the potential to repel commensal rodent pest species; with female cat urine being more effective than male cat urine.
Farmer’s knowledge, attitude and practice on rodent management in lowland irrigated rice in Central-eastern Tanzania
(International Research Journal) Mulungu, L. S; Mrosso, F .P; Katakweba, A .A .S; Mdangi, M .E; Tesha, P .P .H; Ngowo, V.; Mchomvu, M; Kilonzo, B .S.
Soil type limits population abundance of rodents in crop fields: case study of the multimammate rat Mastomys natalensis Smith, 1834 in Tanzania
(Blackwell Publishing) Massawe, Apia W.; RWAMUGIRA, Winnie; LEIRS, Herwig; Makundi, Rhodes H.; Mulungu, Loth; Ngowo, V.; Machang'u, Robert S.
Spatio-temporal patterns in the distribution of the multi-mammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis, in rice crop and fallow land habitats in Tanzania
(Mammalia) Mulungu, L. S.; Sixbert, V.; Ngowo, V.; Mdangi, M.; Katakweba, A. S.; Tesha, P.; Mrosso, F. P.; Mchomvu, M.; Kilonzo, B. S.; Belmain, S. R.
Spatio-temporal patterns in the distribution of the multi-mammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis, in rice crop and fallow land habitats in Tanzania
(Mammalia, 2015) Mulungu, L. S.; Sixbert, V.; Ngowo, V.; Mdangi, M.; Katakweba, A. S.; Tesha, P.; Mrosso, F. P.; Mchomvu, M.; Kilonzo, B. S.; Belmain, S. R.
: An understanding of the dispersion patterns of a pest is an important pre-requisite for developing an effective management programme for the pest. In this study, rodents were trapped in two rice fields and two fallow fields for three consecutive nights each month from June 2010 to May 2012. Mastomys natalensis was the most abundant rodent pest species in the study area, accounting for > 95% of the trapped rodent community. Rattus rattus, Dasymys incomtus, Acomys spinosissimus and Grammomys dolichurus comprised relatively small proportions of the trapped population. Morisita’s index of dispersion was used to measure the relative dispersal pattern (aggregate, random, uniform) of individuals across each trapping grid as a means of comparing rodent distribution in rice and fallow fields over time. This analysis revealed that the rodents in rice fields generally exhibited an aggregated spatio-temporal distribution. However, the rodents in fallow fields were generally less aggregated, approaching a random distribution in some habitats and seasons. Heat maps of trapping grids visually confirmed these dispersal patterns, indicating the clumped or random nature of captured rodents. ANOVA showed that the parameters of habitat (rice, fallow), crop stage (transplanting, vegetative, booting, maturity) and cropping season (wet, dry) all significantly impacted the number of rodents captured, with the vegetative, dry season, fallow habitat having the highest number of rodents; and the transplanting, wet season, rice habitat with the least number of rodents. Therefore, such spatio-temporal patterns can serve as a tool for developing stratified biodiversity sampling plans for small mammals and decision making for rodent pest management strategies.
Survival and recruitment of the multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis (smith 1834), in a rice agro-ecosystem
(Mammalia) Mulungu, L. S.; Ngowo, V.; Mdangi, M. E.; Katakweba, A. S.; Tesha, P.; Mrosso, F. P.; Mchomvu, M.; Massawe, A. W.; Monadjem, A.; Kilonzo, B.; Belmain, S. R.