New Zealand Mammals

DSC_7224 House mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) female with a litter of 2wk old young in an old rockwren nest. This young female has ten young, however in a 'masting' year her litter size may be as high as twenty young. In major masting years mouse populations may experience a ten-fold increase in density in beech forests. An increased abundance of rodents at such times also drives up numbers of other introduced predators such as stoats and weasels. Tutoko High Bench, Fiordland *

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DSC_7224 House mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) female with a litter of 2wk old young in an old rockwren nest. This young female has ten young, however in a 'masting' year her litter size may be as high as twenty young. In major masting years mouse populations may experience a ten-fold increase in density in beech forests. An increased abundance of rodents at such times also drives up numbers of other introduced predators such as stoats and weasels. Tutoko High Bench, Fiordland *

DSC 7224 mice beech nest 2 week old young New Zealand mammal rodent House mouse mammals introduced pest vermin Mus musculus domesticus major masting mast year feral mammalian