FOOD AND FEEDING HABITS OF THE FOREST BUFFALO(SYncerus caffer nanus) IN OKOMU NATIONAL PARK EDO STATE

Abstract

This project investigated the food and feeding habits of the forest buffalo in Okornu National Parle The study covered three months during the wet season (July to October 2005) and three months in the dry season (December to February 2005). The specific objectives that were determined are the food preferences of the forest buffalo, the effects or seasonality on the food of this animal and nutrient quality of the Food consumed by the forest buffalo. Two hundred faecal outputs were collected and examined, i.e. ninety-six (96) during the wet season and one hundred and four (104) during the dry season. Samples from each season were carefully broken and sieved using 1mm wire mesh to reveal the microscopic contents of the faeces. Three weekly visits were made to the feeding sites of the forest buffalo, with the visits being made between 0600 hours and 1600 hours. Data were collected of the plant species and the parts eaten by this animal. Samples of tile undigested materials and plant species that could not be identified in the field were collected and preserved in 10% formal in specimen bottles for identification at the Department of Forestry, Federal University or Technology, Akure and later compared with standard herbarium. Samples of the dried faecal output and the plant species were used Cor proximate analysis according to the Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC, 1990). Tile results show that the forest buffalo feeds on both grass and browse species. It feeds mainly on grass species (84%) during the wet season but consumed higher percentage of browse species (84%) during the dry season. The most preferred browse species is oncocalatuus spp, the result of the proximate composition carried out show that they were highly nutritious.