Population Dynamics of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus) in Farmlands of Plateau State, North Central Nigeria

This study investigates the population dynamics and habitat use of the African giant rat Cricetomys gambianus in farmland mosaics in Plateau State, located in Nigeria's North Central geopolitical zone. Cricetomys gambianus is an important bushmeat species and a pest of stored grains and root crops, and understanding its population ecology in agricultural landscapes is essential for management. Using a mark-recapture design with live traps deployed over six trapping sessions at 20 sites across Barkin Ladi and Jos East local government areas, population size was estimated using the Lincoln-Petersen method. Habitat use was assessed by recording the microhabitat of each trap location at capture. Animals were weighed, sexed, aged by body weight category, and released. Population density estimates ranged from 4.2 to 8.7 individuals per hectare, highest in sites with a mosaic of cropland adjacent to dense vegetation cover. Adult males had larger home ranges than females based on recapture displacement distances. Breeding females were most common between July and September, indicating a wet season peak in reproductive activity. Crop fields adjacent to uncultivated bush edges experienced the highest damage incidence. The study recommends habitat management to reduce bush-crop interfaces, trapping programmes for agricultural pest control, and documentation of local bushmeat offtake to assess harvest sustainability. Keywords: Cricetomys gambianus, population dynamics, farmlands, Plateau State, mark-recapture.