Feed Preference Based on Faecal Compotion Analysis Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus Linnaeus, 1766) In Bekol Savanna Baluran National Park
Suhadi1) Agus Dharmawan2) Anisa Meilia Ashoffi3) Riri Wiyanti Retnaningtyas 4)
Departement of Biology , Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang
Abstract
Roaming over 323.99 ha of savanna at Baluran National Park is the green peafowl (Pavo muticus Linnaeus, 1766), which becomes one of the major focus in conservation endeavor due to their decreasing global population. The previous studies on this species mainly focused on their feeding behavior. In this research, we try to get a deeper insight about their feed preference in order to develop a better habitat preservation for this species at Baluran National Park. This descriptive explorative research aims to discern the feed preference of green peafowl based on their faecal composition and to determine their ecological role based on the respective preferences. This research was carried out through cluster sampling of any feces found in the savanna of Bekol and identifying the remnants of food found in the species. The results indicate that green peafowl mainly feed on Salvia riparia Kunth and some other plants. From the observation and the faecal composition analysis, it can be inferred that green peafowl serves an important role in seed dispersal of various plants in the savanna thus this species holds the key role in shaping the ecosystem in the savanna.
Keywords: Green Peafowl, Feed Preference, Baluran National Park, Ecological Role
Topic: Bioconservation