Dietary habits of wild Javan lutungs (Trachypithecus auratus) in a secondary-plantation mixed forest: Effects of vegetation composition and phenology

This study investigated the seasonal dietary habits of wild Javan lutungs (Trachypithecus auratus) inhabiting the secondary-plantation mixed forest of Pangandaran Nature Reserve, West Java, Indonesia, in relation to vegetation composition and phenology. We conducted behavioral observations of a habituated group for 16 non-consecutive months. The lutungs fed on 164 items (leaf, fruit, flower, etc.) from 85 different plant species. Number of main plant species (>1% usage) was 20, and accumulated percentage of feeding (all plant parts combined) for the top five, 10, and 20 plant species was 43.4%, 63.8%, and 81.2%, respectively. The percentage of feeding on each plant species was positively correlated with the total number of trees and total crown volume. However, selectivity varied; for instance, plant species with a lower crown volume were preferred. The lutungs mainly fed on young leaves (average over the study period, 69.9%), with fruits (both mature and young, 21.2%) contributing more in certain months. The higher percentage of folivory was similar to that found in previous studies for this species and other Trachypithecus species. The category-based analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between the percentage of young fruit and their availability, whereas most other relationships were not significant. The percentage of feeding on young leaves showed a significant negative correlation with the percentage of feeding on mature leaves and dietary diversity, wher...
Source: Mammalian Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: research