Abstract:
This study examined the activity pattern budget, feeding habits and nutrient quality of the food of olive baboon (Papio anubis) in Kainji Lake National park (Borgu sector) Nigeria. The dry season study took place between January and April 2011, while the wet season study took place between May and August 2011. Direct and Indirect methods were used to determine the effect of seasonality of the food and feeding behaviour of olive baboon in the park. Data were collected between the hours of 7.00am to 12.00pm and 2.30pm to 6.00pm along the natural trails, which were used as transects. Plant species and their parts eaten by olive baboon were identified through direct observation with the aid of binoculars. These identified parts of plants were collected fresh in plastic bags and oven dried at 40oC for 24 hours to estimate the dry matter content. Each dried food samples were used for proximate analysis. The results revealed olive baboon feed mainly on fruits: Prosopis africana 12.17% Phostigma thongii 12.17%, and Pteriocarpus erinaceous 12.17% recorded highest percentage of food consumed in the dry season. While Andropogon gayanus22.14%, Strychonus spinosa 18.24% Nuclear latifica 16.28% recorded the highest percentage of food consumption in the raining season. Olive baboons spend more time feeding (57.3%); other activities such as vocalization/fighting were least (2.5%) in the time budget. It was generally concluded that the present vegetation of Kainji Lake National Park could sustain the existing population of Olive baboon and other wild animal in the park, provided various illegal human activities in the park area are effectively controlled
Key Words: Food, Feeding, Ecology, Olive baboon, seasonality.
