5.0 CONCLUSION and RECCOMENDATION
Mabira (CFR) is an important forest for rodent and shrew species
conservation and ecological research given the high species diversity
and high density. The recording of Hylomyscus stella andPraomys jacksoni in high numbers can be used as a proxy to
monitor the health of the forest, this can be done in combination with
the forest specialist species like Deomys ferrugineus ,Praomys missonei and Malacomys longipes recorded.Some species were observed to be associated with certain habitats,
suggesting that they have different habitat requirements and
highlighting the importance of habitat heterogeneity. This also provides
useful information required for habitat management like protecting the
forest from any activities leading to habitat modification. Rodent and
shrew species abundance fluctuations are independent of the local
rainfall patterns but with the ongoing habitat modification, forest
mammals may have to adapt to changes in the rainfall patterns which
patterns are increasingly becoming unpredictable. This implies that
species that will not be able to adapt fast might be ultimately
eliminated from the ecosystem. From this study, we recommend an
assessment of how habitat homogeneity due to the proliferation ofBroussonetia papyrifera , which is invading the forest following
forest degradation, affects rodent and shrew populations in forested
environments.