Field trails were conducted in February, 2005 to evaluate the field
performance of three rodenticides in controlling colonies of the Libyan Jird,
Meriones libycus at semi arid lands east to Damascus and Homs cities. 2% Zinc
Phosphide wheat baits,
0.005% Brodifacoum ready to use baits and Aluminum
Phosphide (Fumigant) were tested. The active burrows were treated by
inserting ten grams of the poisoned baits or by one tablet (3g) of Aluminume
Phosphide.
The efficacy of treatments was calculated depending on the number of
active burrows before and after treatment. Obvious reduction in burrowing
activity was registered in Zinc Phosphide, Brodifacoum, Aluminume Phosphide
treatments; 95.9%, 91.9% and 81.9% respectively, in comparison to 18.5% in
the untreated control. The difference between Zinc Phosphide and Aluminume
Phosphide efficacy was not significant, while it was significant between these
two rodenticides and Brodifacoum.
Symptoms of direct poisoning were observed on mammalian predators in
the study area after 24 hours of Zinc Phosphide treatment, indicating serious
damage to the non target species of rodents' natural enemies in spite of the high
potency of this acute rodenticide.
The results suggest that inserting one gram only of Zinc Phosphide baits in
each active burrow, seems to be adequate to achieve high rate of efficacy
against the Libyan jird in comparison to the efficacy achieved when 10 grams
were inserted.
