As part of a large project examining the population response to a range of rodent control methods at a villagelevel (> 100 ha), we examined how individual rats used
their environment and how they might respond to removal of other rats through the application of control techniques conducted by farmers. Specifically, we considered whether rats moved in a random pattern (classical diffusion) or directed their movement towards areas of lower population density (“vacuum effect” EFFORD et al.,2000). This was done by radio-tracking individual rats occupying rice fields on sites where farmers conducted a range of recommended rodent management practices (treated sites) and sites where farmers were not influenced in their rodent management techniques (control sites)