Fleas are small wingless hematophagous insect that are frequently infesting on rodents and other small mammals while acting as vectors of many zoonotic diseases including plague, a disease challenging public health in many part of the world including Tanzania. 291 rodents from nine species were captured with Sherman traps in farm land, peridomestic areas, bush and forest buffer zone across wet and dry season in plague and non-plague foci villages. Captured rodents were anaesthetized and 190 fleas comprising four species were collected and morphologically identified with available dichotomous key. Dinopsyllus lypusus were (46.32%) , Ctenophthalmus spp (26.84%), Xenopsylla brasiliensis (16.32%) and Xenopsylla cheopis (10.53%). 38.42% of fleas were collected from Mastomy natalensis, 22.63% from Lemniscomys striatus and 18.42% from Rattus rattus. Highest flea infestation prevalence was found on R.rattus and was strongly associated with X.cheopis and X.brasiliensis. Specific flea index of X.cheopis on R.rattus was (01) in plague foci and (<0.5) in non-plague foci. Result of GLM final model indicated that flea abundance was significant influenced by rodent species ( p < .001), season ( p= .031), habitats ( p= .02), rodent weight ( p < .001), rodent sex ( p < .001) and plague locations ( p= .02). There was significance difference in variation of flea abundance between rodent sexes (W = 9158.5, p = .009) and weak positive correlation between rodent’s weight and fleas abundance ( R= 0.17, p< 0.05). Despite that, specific flea index of X.cheopis on rats in both plague foci and non-plague foci villages were not indicating alarming condition that would require urgent control of fleas, still society should consistently adhere to rodent and fleas control methods especially in farm land and peridomestic areas where flea abundance is high and human activities are customarily implemented.

Home ranges play an important role in the ecology of small mammals in understanding the driving factors for variations between species, including; mating patterns, foraging behavior and habitat use. We investigated the abundance, relative home ranges and species-habitat association of small mammal species in the Nyerere National Park. Two habitats; closed woodland and seasonal riverine forest were selected and in each habitat two grids of 70m x 70m were established. The Capture Mark Recapture technique was deployed. From July 2018 to June 2020 a total of 732 small mammal individuals belonging to 19 species were captured. Of the 19 species captured, 12 were rodents, 2 insectivores, 4 carnivores; and 1 primate. Acomys ngurui abundance was not statistically significant different between habitats (W = 220, df = 1, p = 0.144) and across seasons (F(2, 45) = 1.41, p = 0.2547)). While, Mastomys natalensis and Lemniscomys rosalia were statistically significant different (W = 407, p = 0.01 and W=430.5, p=0.002 respectively) between habitats and across seasons (F(2,45) = 4.352, p = 0.019 and F(2,45) = 6.321, p = 0.0038 respectively). Acomys ngurui had the largest mean home range size (1,087.58 m2) than L. rosalia (831.55 m2) and M. natalensis (166 m2) with overlaps being recorded in habitats and across seasons. Most small mammals were associated with seasonal riverine forest. We conclude that, small mammal species abundance and home ranges vary with habitats and seasons for individual species in the Nyerere National Park. We recommend to the management of the park to consider small mammals in their general management plan.