Observations on populations of multimammate mice at Livingstone, Zambia

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Abstract
Populations of multimammate mice Mastomys natalensis A. Smith were studied in 3 areas at Livingstone in southern Zambia from Jan. 1974 - Dec. 1976. Population age structure varied seasonally with the recruitment of young confined to Feb.-July. Sex ratio was affected by breeding condition, trap response and perhaps differential mortality. Body mass of mice was affected by age and period of year. Pregnant females were obtained from Dec.-June. Embryos per pregnancy varied with time of breeding, maternal age and locality. Age-specific reproductive effort also varied with time of breeding. Populations exhibited 2 peaks of abundance: one during the rainy season caused by immigration and another early in the dry season caused by reproduction. Populations inhabiting fire-prone grassland sites declined sharply or died out following the destruction of herbage cover during the dry season while a population inhabiting a bush thicket did not fluctuate markedly due to habitat stability.

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