The advances in the application of sterilizing techniques against pest rodents in China are introduced in the paper. The development of chemosterilants, improvements of botanic sterilants, production of new steroid hormone sterilants, introduction of immunosterility and excellent properties of the sterilants are outlined. The 揝pace Occupation Theory?of sterile techniques is advanced after practice. The botanic sterilants with gossypol and trichosanthin as its main agents were screened and successfully applied in the large area control in the northern forest area of China. The safety of sterilants to non-target animals such as rats, rabbits, dogs, monkeys and chickens was summarized.
The diurnal activity rhythm of Clethrionomys rufocanus was studied under three different food conditions in a laboratory. The activity occurred both in the daytime and at night, but mainly at night (19∶00～4∶00). The mice fed with Mouse food exhibited six small peaks in their daily activity, and those fed with grass or hay exhibited seven, but the peak of the out nest night activity was 2～3 hours earlier.The activity amount of out nest was 30 518.0 ±3 694.9 s for those fed with grass, the next was 21 811.7± 2 288.0 s for those fed with hay, and the least was 15 038.0±666.0 s for those fed with mouse food. The activity amount of feeding was 10 867.3±1 612.1 s for those fed with grass, much more than those fed with mouse food and hay. The activity amount for drinking was 988.5±79.1 s (fed with hay),568.9±60.9 s (fed with mouse food) and 139.3±47.2 s (fed with grass).
