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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 51(8)

Identifying black rat (Rattus rattus) movement patterns aids the development of management programs in citrus orchards

Roger A. Baldwin https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0656-8900 A * , Ryan Meinerz A and Justine A. Smith A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.

* Correspondence to: rabaldwin@ucdavis.edu

Handling Editor: Steven Belmain

Wildlife Research 51, WR23149 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR23149
Submitted: 22 November 2023  Accepted: 7 July 2024  Published: 25 July 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Context

The black rat (Rattus rattus) is an invasive species found throughout much of the globe, including in many agricultural areas, where they cause significant damage to many crops including citrus. Understanding how black rats move in these orchards would substantially aid the development of management programs to combat this pest species.

Aim

Our goal was to determine the home-range size and mean maximum distance moved over a 24-h period, as well as to determine the activity period for black rats in orchards.

Methods

We used innovative cellular tracking technology to provide a more complete assessment of home-range size and maximum daily movements than previously reported in other investigations. We also used remote-triggered cameras to assess activity periods for black rats to better inform management actions.

Key results

We observed large home ranges for black rats in citrus orchards (x¯=2.36  ha). Although mean home-range size did not differ between males and females, we did identify an effect of sex on the mean maximum daily distance moved by black rats (males: x¯=201  m; females: x¯=148  m). Black rats were most active during the early evening, with all observations made during night-time.

Conclusions

Black rats moved relatively large distances within orchards, with activity occurring exclusively at night.

Implications

This information on black rat activity patterns will greatly assist in the development of management programs by informing ideal spacing between traps and bait stations to minimise cost, while still yielding efficacious results. A reliance on trapping or baiting during night-time would ensure access by black rats, while eliminating access to diurnal non-target species, although such actions would be labour-intensive and may be cost-prohibitive.

Keywords: agriculture, cell tracking technology, daily movement, diel activity pattern, home range, invasive pest, roof rat, ship rat.

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