Rodent Species Abundance and Potential Zoonotic Threat in Abokouamékro Faunal Reserve and Surrounding Villages, Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to improve our understanding of rodent populations by assessing their abundance and diversity and their potential contribution to zoonotic risk. Study Design: A longitudinal, descriptive and comparative field study Place and Duration of Study: Rodent trapping was conducted in the Abokouamékro Faunal Reserve and three surrounding villages from November 2021 to April 2023, with trapping carried out for 7 consecutive days each month. Methodology: Rodents were sampled using live traps baited with smoked fish at six (06) sites in areas of forest, savannah, and nearby villages. Traps were placed 25 m apart to form a square in the natural environments, whereas in the villages they were placed in houses based on two imaginary landmark lines. Traps were set in the evening and checked the following day at twilight. Captured rodents were anaesthetised using cotton wool moistened with ether in a hermetically sealed bucket and released after morphological identification. Results: A total of 261 rodents belonging to two families (Nesomyidae and Muridae) and six species were recorded. Rattus rattus was the most abundant species (47.89 %), followed by Mastomys erythroleucus (32.57 %), whereas Apodemus sylvaticus was the least abundant (0.38 %). Four species were recorded in the villages and five in the reserve. Higher diversity indices in the reserve highlighted greater rodent diversity in the natural environment, particularly the predominance of R. rattus and M. erythroleucus. These species are known to be potentially capable of transmitting zoonotic diseases such as leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, and Lassa fever. Conclusion: The reserve exhibited greater species richness and rodent diversity than the villages, with uneven species distribution in both habitats. The presence of diverse rodent communities potentially harbouring zoonotic pathogens may represent an ecological and epidemiological risk for visitors. This study provides baseline data supporting rodent biodiversity conservation, zoonotic disease surveillance, and public health protection.