Study on the Diet Composition of Anoa
Pujaningsih, R.I.1, Malik, A2, Pudyatmoko, S3, Amir, M.A2, Sofyan3
1Faculty of Animal-Agriculture, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Jawa, Indonesia
2Faculty of Agriculture, Tadulako University, Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
3Faculty of Forestry, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta Special Regency, Indonesia
Abstract
The diet composition of the anoa of the National Lore Lindu Park Central Sulawesi were studied using direct observation and faecal analysis. Dietary ecology of anoa was studied to investigate the food plants eaten by anoas and the availability of the food plants that were potentially eaten by the animals. This study, conducted in Toro village area of Lore Lindu National Park aimed to determine food plants eaten by lowland anoas, including the species of food plants, parts of plants eaten and the relative portions of the food items in the diets of the animals. Two techniques were used to determine the animals’ food plants including direct and indirect methods. For the direct method, the anoa’s food plants were recorded when the animals were observed feeding on identifiable species of plants. For the indirect method, the animals’ food plants were recorded based on their browsing signs and on faecal analysis. Feeding tracks of anoa were investigated along the natural paths of the animals covering Toro village area. Species of plants and parts of plants eaten by the animals were recorded. Faecal samples more often founded on the location near the water resources (mountain spring, river). Observation of the feeding sites of the animals showed that food plants of anoa included monocots (grasses, sedges, and young leaves), dicots (herbs, lianas and fruits of dicots) and ferns. Anoa prefer to drink mountain spring water which has more mineral contents compare to the river water. Anoa may adapt their food refer to their environment. Our management recommendations include precisely law enforcement according to the new paradigmatic of conservation, build on an ex-in situ special area for anoa’s captivity, gazette of remaining suitable habitats of anoas, conducting an island-wide survey of distribution and population abundance of anoas, and increasing people’s awareness of the need to conserve the rain forest upon which anoas and other wildlife species rely. Moreover, anoa can be fed by some alternative vegetation which has equivalent quality.
Keywords: anoa, diet composition, direct observation, faecal analysis
Contact person:
Retno I Pujaningsih : retnoip@telkom.net
Adam Malik : adam_untad@yahoo.co.id
Satyawan Pudyatmoko : satyawan_pudy@yahoo.com
