Food and nutrition of Gaur (Bos gaurus C.H. Smith, 1827) at the edge of Khao Yai National Park, Thailand - PubMed (original) (raw)

Food and nutrition of Gaur (Bos gaurus C.H. Smith, 1827) at the edge of Khao Yai National Park, Thailand

Rattanawat Chaiyarat et al. Sci Rep. 2021.

Abstract

The presence of gaur (Bos gaurus) at the border of Khao Yai National Park (KYNP) in Thailand has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of individuals' crop feeding. This study examines the feeding adaptations of gaur at the edge of the protected area and assesses whether gaur response to increased nutrient availability in crop plants compared to natural forage. During the day, gaur mostly utilized forest areas in KYNP and entered the agricultural areas at night. Gaur ate 43 natural forage species. Natural forage species contain high levels of crude protein and lipid, but they are found in small quantities and scattered areas when compared to crop plants, especially Zea mays L., that are available in large quantity and are heavily foraged on by gaur. However, greater understanding of the electivity index and nutrition of forage species along the edge of the protected area can be used to reduce the gaur-human conflict by keeping gaur in KYNP. Reducing the large monoculture areas that is the food sources of gaur along the edge may reduce or prevent gaur leaving the park and can be applied to advance conservation actions.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1

The gaur (Bos gaurus) are the largest extant bovids and feed at the edge of Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. Photographs from camera-trap by R. Chaiyarat.

Figure 2

Figure 2

Study area and line transects of gaurs’ forage species and nutrition in the edge along Khlong Pla Kang National Park Guard Station, Khao Yai National Park. Maps created using ARC GIS 10.3, modified after Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP); (c and f) photographs by S. Prasopsin; all other photographs by R. Chaiyarat.

References

    1. Guerbois C, Chapanda E, Fritz H. Combining multi-scale socio-ecological approaches to understand the susceptibility of subsistence farmers to elephant crop raiding on the edge of a protected area. J. Appl. Ecol. 2012;49:1149–1158. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2012.02192.x. -DOI
    1. Felton AM, et al. Protein content of diets dictates the daily energy intake of a free-ranging primate. Behav. Ecol. 2009;20:685–690. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arp021. -DOI
    1. Rode KD, Chiyo PI, Chapman CA, McDowell LR. Nutritional ecology of elephants in Kibale National Park, Uganda, and its relationship with crop-raiding behaviour. J. Trop. Ecol. 2006;22:441–449. doi: 10.1017/S0266467406003233. -DOI
    1. Duckworth, J. W., Sankar, K., Williams, A. C., Kumar, N. S. & Timmins, R. J. Bos gaurus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016, e.T2891A46363646 (2016).
    1. Royal Thai Government Gazette. Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act, B.E.2562 (2019) of Thailand. www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th (2019, in Thai).

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources