Habitat Preference of Rats at Bawakaraeng Mountain, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

The study was conducted at Bawakaraeng mount in four height level that is at an altitude of 1300, 1700, 1900, and 2200 meters above sea level. Sampling was done three times repetitions at each height level as well as the use of 200 mouse trap consists of a live trap and dead trap. Rats were caught later identified and numbered as initial data. A total of 227 individuals (4 genera; 10 species) that is Rattus hoffmani, Rattus dammermani, Rattus exulans, Bunomys andrewsi, Bunomys chrysocomus, Bunomys heinrichi, Taeromys celebensis, Taeromys hamatus, Paruromys dominator, and Paruromys sp. Habitat Preference analyzed based on Euclidean dissimilarity index, the analysis result of the dendrogram of each type and altitude levels of rats habitat type was indicated that the habitat preference at the site of primary forest (2200 m asl) and degradation forest (1500 m asl) is more dominant than the other habitats.