Palatabilitas Badak Sumatera (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) di Suaka Rhino Sumatera (The Palatability of Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) in Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary)

Abstrak

Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is a browser animal or shrub and foliage eaters that has wide needs and variety types of feed. The purpose of the research is to identify the feed types and the palatability of sumatran rhinoceros feed. Data was collected using Direct Observation method. The object of research was a female sumatran rhinoceros " aged named “Ratu”. The results shows that there were founded 61 feed species of rhinoceros in Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary. Those feeds were clasified in 30 different families. The drop-in feed was dominated by Moraceae and Rubiaceae was dominated the natural feed. Leaves were the most eaten part by sumatran rhinoceros both in drop-in feed (75%) or in natural feed (83%). The amount of feed which Sumatran rhinoceros could consumed in one day was 36-47 kg of the total supply as much as ± 100 kg/day. The most eaten quantites and the most prefered feed of sumatran rhinoceros were jack tree (Artocarpus heterophyllus) and merremia (Merremia peltata).Keywords: Sumatran Rhinoceros, Feed , Palatability, Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary