Understanding sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii) habitats through diet analysis in Rushebeya-Kanyabaha wetland, Uganda
Joseph Ndawula1, Mnason Tweheyo1*, David M. Tumusiime2,3 and Gerald Eilu1 1Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism, School of Forestry, Environment and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, PO Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda, 2Department of Environmental Management, School of Forestry, Environment and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, PO Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda and 3Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB) PO Box 1432, A˚ s, Norway
une antilope de zones humides tropicales, extreˆmement Abstract menace´e par la perte de son habitat dans la zone humide Between January and December 2008, we assessed the diet de Rushebeya-Kanyabaha. Nous avons utilise´ une analyse and habitat selection of sitatunga, a highly endangered micro-histologique des excre´ments et des me´thodes tropical wetland antelope threatened by habitat loss in d’e´chantillonnage de la ve´ge´tation pour e´valuer les formes Rushebeya-Kanyabaha wetland. Microhistological faecal et les espe`ces ve´ge´tales et les changements saisonniers du analysis and vegetative sampling methods were used to re´gime des sitatungas. La fre´quentation de l’habitat fut assess plant forms, species and seasonal changes in the de´termine´e indirectement en e´valuant les sche´mas d’ali- sitatunga diet. Habitat use was indirectly determined by mentation, la distribution des crottes et les pistes dans la assessing feeding patterns, distribution of dung and trails zone humide. Les sitatungas se nourrissent principalement within the wetland. Sitatunga fed mainly on herbs, sedges, d’herbes dicotyle´dones, de laıˆches, de gramine´es et d’ grasses and shrubs. A total of 34 plant species were arbustes. On a enregistre´ un total de 34 espe`ces ve´ge´tales recorded as eaten by sitatunga. The most eaten plant consomme´es par le sitatunga. L’espe`ce la plus consomme´e species was Cyperus papyrus L. (22%). Malenthera scandens e´tait Cyperus papyrus L. (22%). Malenthera scandens Schum. Schum. & Thonn., Polygonum senegalense Meisu (12%) and & Thonn., Polygonum senegalense Meisu (12%) et Polygo- Polygonum pulchrum Blume (5%) were the most eaten num pulchrum Blume (5%) e´taient les herbes dicotyle´dones herbs. Zea mays L. was the most eaten agricultural crop les plus consomme´es. Zea mays L. e´tait la plante cultive´ela (58% of domestic crops), mainly during the wet season. plus consomme´e (58% des cultures domestiques), surtout Sitatunga feeding was mainly concentrated on the wetland pendant la saison des pluies. Les sitatungas se nourrissa- edge habitat (46%) where most of its food (53%) was ient principalement en lisie`re de l’habitat humide (46%) ou` located. The other preferred habitat was the tall closed ils trouvaient la plus grande partie de leurs aliments (53%). papyrus. We conclude that the long-term survival of sita- L’autre habitat de pre´dilection e´tait les e´tendues ferme´es de tunga requires a management plan focussing on the con- grands papyrus. Nous en concluons que la survie a` long servation of the most preferred plant species and habitats. terme du sitatunga exige un plan de gestion centre´ sur la conservation des espe`ces ve´ge´tales et des habitats qu’il Key words: microhistological, Rushebeya-Kanyabaha, pre´fe`re. Tragelaphus spekei, tropical wetland
Re´sume´ Entre janvier et de´cembre 2008, nous avons e´value´ le Introduction re´gime alimentaire et la se´lection de l’habitat du sitatunga, The sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii), a highly restricted semi- *Correspondence: E-mails: [email protected], mtweheyo@ aquatic tropical antelope, inhabits wetlands and associated gmail.com ecosystems, but is currently endangered throughout its