Nutritional composition of food plants of geladas (Theropithecus gelada) in Guassa Community Protected Area, Ethiopia

Abstract

Understanding the nutritional needs of geladas is a key to determine the species ecology, as adequate nutrition is a prerequisite for successful reproduction. Chemical analysis method was used for the study, and major food items which were dominantly forage by geladas in both wet and dry seasons were selected for the analysis. The result showed that there is a less diversity and abundance of food items of gelada in the study area. A total of 13 food plants of eighteen identified species eaten by the geladas in both wet and dry seasons were used for chemical analysis. These food plant species include Ranunculus multifidus, Cotula cryptocephala, Haplocarpha schimperi, Alchemilla abyssinica, Agro charis melonata, Cupressus lusitanica, Eremurus robustus,  Adenostemma  caffrum, Malva  verticillata, Galium  asparinoides, Festuca  macrophyla, Sonchus  oleraceus and Rubus  apetalus. With regard to the result of nutritive value of the preferred food plants, the highest percentages of crude protein content (27.14 %), crude fiber (48.75%), fat content (4.9%), ash (23.1%), dry matter (91.06 %) and neutral detergent fiber (45.23 %) are found in Malva verticillata, Haplocarpha schimperi, Ranunculus multifidus, Cotula cryptocephala, Sonchus oleraceus and Haplocarpha schimperi, respectively. In the study area, geladas’ food appeared to have less water and high dry matter content. This showed that water scarcity is not a serious issue in the study area for geladas’.

Keywords: Feeding behaviour, food items, gelada, Guassa, nutritive value