New Zealand Mammals

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 *

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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 2975 mice nest week old young New Zealand mammal rodent House mouse mammals introduced pest vermin Mus musculus domesticus major masting mast year feral mammalian Otago Peninsula