DSC_2975 House mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) female with a litter of week old young in nest. This mother 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. Otago Peninsula *
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_7218 House mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) a litter of 2wk old young in an old rockwren nest. This litter contains ten young, however in a 'masting' year a mouse litter may contain as many 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 *
