Denning behaviour of ship rats (Rattus rattus) on Taukihepa, a seabird breeding island

• Published in: New Zealand Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Rutherford, Malcolm, Harper, Grant, Moller, Henrik
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 2014
• Subjects: Rattus rattus; den sites; habitat use; social behaviour; sooty shearwater; Stewart Island; Burrows; New Zealand
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10523/5350; https://doi.org/10.1080/03014220909510159

Den sites of 14 ship rats (Rattus rattus) were located daily during the rat breeding season on Taukihepa (Big South Cape), a seabird island southwest of Rakiura (Stewart Island). In contrast to other New Zealand studies, no arboreal dens were found. Den sites on Taukihepa were in ferns, under logs,...