Feeding behavior of olive baboons (Papio Anubis) in West Bugwe forest reserve.

Abstract

A number of studies have been made on many different baboon populations. I studied the feeding behavior of olive baboons (Papio anubis) in West Bugwe Forest Reserve, Busia District, Uganda. Using direct observation method on one troop of baboons, I identified the food species and food items they eat and determine their availability. I computed the preference of different food species from the results obtained. Baboons are selective feeders. They fed from food species ranging from trees to shrubs. A total of thirty-two plant species were counted in the forest and the most abundant plant species except grasses were; Broussonetia papyrifera, among trees, Olyra latifolia and Latana camara most abundant among creepers and shrubs respectively. The highest percentage of food items eaten was leaves (54%), followed by seeds (32%) and lastly Fruits (14%). The first five preferred foods were; Sterculia dawel, Senna spectabillis, Dodonea angustifolia, Grewia calymmatosepala and Psidium guajava. Pearson rank correlation (r=- 0.5692, p=<0.05) was used to test the relationship between percentage density and preference, which showed that there was a difference between the two. The feeding behavior of infant, juveniles and adults was put into consideration. The study was done for three days on one troop of baboons. With the help of this study, the olive baboon population in West Bugwe Forest would be conserved.