Invasive Urban Mammalian Predators: Distribution and Multi-Scale Habitat Selection

What is it about?

Restoration of biodiversity in urban green spaces frequently requires eradication or management of invasive species. We aimed to identify fine- and landscape-scale habitat features associated with the presence of five invasive urban mammals (Rattus species, European hedgehogs, mice, and brushtail possums) in three urban green space types (forest fragment, amenity park, residential garden) across three New Zealand cities, and across two seasons, to identify where management effort should be focused. All species were detected in all greenspace types; however, rodents were detected least in residential gardens, possums were detected most often in forest fragments, and hedgehogs least in forest fragments. Proximity of amenity parks to forest patches was positively associated with possum and hedgehog presence and negatively with rats. Conversely, proximity of residential gardens to forest patches was positively associated with rat presence. Management of rats should focus on sites with shrub and lower canopy cover and of mice on sites with herb layer cover, while micro-habitat features were not important for hedgehogs and possums. Rats were most likely to be found in residential gardens with compost heaps.

Featured Image

Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash

Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The wide distributions of most non-native mammalian predator species across cities suggest that in order to be successful, ecological restoration must be coordinated, target all green space types, and engage urban residents.