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Research
(Published
online: 15-12-2014)
9.
Nutritional evaluation
of fodder, its preference and crop raiding by wild Asian elephant
(Elephas maximus) in Sonitpur District of Assam, India
-
Bidyut Jyoti Das, Bibeka Nanda Saikia,
Kishore Kumar Baruah, Arundhati Bora and Mukul Bora
Veterinary World, 7(12): 1082-1089
doi:
10.14202/vetworld.2014.1082-1089
Bidyut
Jyoti Das:
Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science,
Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati,
Assam,
India;
bjdassam@gmail.com
Bibeka
Nanda Saikia:
Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science,
Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati,
Assam,
India;
bibekas.saikia5@gmail.com
Kishore
Kumar Baruah:
Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science,
Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati,
Assam,
India;
baruah_kk@rediffmail.com
Arundhati Bora:
Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary
Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati,
Assam, India;
arundhati_bora@gmail.com
Mukul
Bora: Department of LPM (Statistic Division), College of
Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara,
Guwahati, Assam, India;
mukulbora@yahoo.com
Received:
01-08-2014, Revised: 21-10-2014, Accepted: 02-11-2014, Published
online: 15-12-2014
Corresponding author:
Bidyut Jyoti Das, email: bjdassam@gmail.com
Abstract
Aim:
The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the
nutritive value of fodder in natural habitat, cultivated crops and
their preference by wild Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
in forest and non-forest areas in four seasons using field
observation in Sonitpur District of Assam; since, there were
frequent incidences of crop raiding by wild elephant leading to
loss of property and human-elephant conflict.
Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in four
seasons. The study included forest areas of Sonai-Rupai Wildlife
Sanctuary, part of Nameri National Park and high human-elephant
conflicted areas of non-forest near to the sanctuary and parks.
The consumed fodders were identified, collected and evaluated. The
proximate composition was determined using AOAC (1990).
Results: Total 39 different fodder species of 18 families
including herbs, climber, grasses, paddy seeds, paddy saplings,
plants and its leaves, bark, fruits, and roots were recorded to be
utilized by elephants. The first three family of fodder that
elephant relished more were Poaceae (46.15%), Musaceae
(7.69%) and Zingiberaceae (5.13%) respectively. The
crude protein content of fodder in all seasons, total ash content
only in winter and post monsoon seasons and neutral detergent
fiber content of fodder between forest and non-forest were
significant (p<0.05). Elephants preferred to forage more on
nutritionally rich fodder than poor natural fodder. Incidence of
crop raiding was more in post monsoon season could be due to
availability of nutritionally rich fodder than the poor natural
fodder and generally happened in the night.
Conclusions: The study revealed that during post monsoon
season, there were abundant nutritionally rich sources of
cultivated crops than the fodder of natural habitat that might
provoke the wild elephants to raid crops. Poaceae shared a
major portion of their diet. The findings will definitely help
nutritionist, ecologist and policy makers to understand wild
elephant’s needs and also to take appropriate measures for
conservation of endangered wild Asian elephant as well as
mitigation of human-elephant conflict.
Keywords: crop, fodder, raiding, wild Asian
elephant.
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