Diversity of Food Plants and Food Preference of Indochinese Gaur (Bos gaurus laosiensis) at Khlong Pla Kang Buffer Zone of KhaoYai National Park, Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

Indochinese gaur (Bos gaurus laosiensis) is a ruminant which roams and feeds on the plains. The objective of this research was to study the diversity of food plants and the food preference of gaur in the Khlong Pla Kang area of the buffer zone in the Khao Yai National Park, Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand from April 2010 to March 2011.Twig counts and four transects were employed to study the forage species in the area.  In total, 43 species of food plants were utilized by gaur, composed of 35 species of dicotyledons and 8 species of monocotyledons.  Forty one species were eaten during the wet season including Mallotus philippensis Mull. Arg., Dillenia obovata (Blume) Hoogland, Helicteres lanata (Teijsm. & Binn.) Kurz and Mallotus paniculatus Mull. Arg. with a diversity index of 2.88.  During the dry season, 25 species were eaten including Cinnamomum iners Reinw. ex Blume and Dioscorea glabra Roxb. with a diversity index of 2.34.  The seasonal similarity between the indices was 53.5%.  Leaves, shoots, flowers and fruits were eaten by gaur.  Gaur could adapt their feeding behavior to the differences between the wet and dry seasons.  During the dry season, forage species were scarce due coverage by fallen leaves and some species had died.  Gaur selected supplemental food (13.6%) in the wet season. Compared to the food plants preferred by wild elephants, the similarity index was 45.5%.

Keywords:  Indochinese gaur (Bosg aurus laosiensis), diversity, food plants, food preference, Khao Yai National Park