3.3.2 Selection of study area
In this study four villages were selected depending on the information of whether been involved or not involved in the past human plague outbreak (Kilonzo et al ., 2006). Rodents were sampled from four habitats that include, farm land, bush land, peridomestic area and forest buffer zone that were selected purposefully from each village. Selection criteria of habitats was relying on the following factors; a habitat characterized with bushes comprising shrubs and little dwarf scattered trees away from settlements were considered as bush land habitat, a land cultivated with cereal and other agricultural crops were considered as farm land habitat, a forest buffer zone habitat was declared by the conservation authority where they provided permission and guidance to trap in the area. Forest buffer zone was defined as a part of protected land adjoining conservation area and community area with no human activities allowed in that area. Peridomestic area was considered to be an area of land surrounding human settlement within a range of one hundred meter. Bush land, farm land and forest buffer zone were all considered as sylvatic areas and were selected at least 300 to 500 m away from the human settlements.