A study on the species composition, distribution, relative abundance and habitatrnassociation of rodents species was carried out in Awash National Park and MetahararnSugarcane Plantation from August 2005 to 2007. Eight trapping grids were randomlyrnselected based on the vegetation composition in Awash (riverine forest, Acaciarnwoodland, Shrub bushland and grassland) and on growth stages of cane in Metahararn(immature sugarcane plant, young sugarcane plant, and old sugarcane plant). Anrnadditional grid was selected from shrub bushland area outside the sugarcanernplantation. A total of 1002 captures were obtained in 5880 trap nights. Of these, 309rnindividuals (40.98%) represented six species of rodents (Mastomys natalensis,rnAcomys cahirinus, Arvicanthis dembeensis, Mastomys erythroleucus, Tatera robustarnand Mus musculus) in Awash and 445 (59.02%) represented eight species of rodentsrn(M. natalensis, A. dembeensis, A. cahirinus, Mylomys albipes,Tatera robusta, M.rnmusculus,and Rattus rattus) in Metahara. M. natalensis was the most abundantrnspecies constituting 26.5% of the total catch. A. dembeensis (17.8%), A. cahirinusrn(16.2%), M. erythroleucus (12.3%), T. robusta (11.8%), M. albipes (7.3%), M.rnmusculus (5.4%), and R. rattus (2.7%) constituted the total catch. Variation inrnabundance among the rodent species between the two sites was significant. Most ofrnthe rodent species from Awash were trapped from shrub bushland and grasslandrnareas. Riverine forest was the least preferred habitat by rodents in the study area. M.rnnatalensis, A. dembeensis, A. cahirinus, M. albipes and M. erythroleucus preferredrnyoung sugarcane plants to other growth stages of the cane. T. robusta and R. rattusrnwere trapped in more number in old sugarcane than other growth stages. M. musculusrnwas equally abundant in both young and old sugarcane growth stages. The overallrndifference of the species abundance between the different stages of sugarcanernplantation was significant. There was seasonal difference in the abundance of thernrodent species in both Awash and Matehara. However, the overall difference in thernabundance of rodents species between the two seasons was not statistically significantrnin Metahara. Variation in trap success in different habitats of Awash was statisticallyrninsignificant. Variation in trap success between different growth stages of the canesrnwas statistically significant. However, there was no significant difference in traprnsuccess between the seasons. All age groups were represented in the population ofrnmost species with seasonal variation. The highest damage of sugarcane was recordedrnin old sugarcane plantation during both wet and dry seasons, followed by young andrnimmature sugarcane plantations.rnKeywords: Abundance, Awash National Park and Metahara sugarcane plantation,rnhabitatrnassociation of rodents, seasonal variation, species composition, traprnsuccess .