Search Filter

Keywords:

 

Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) - Call for papers!

Assessment of Rusa Deer (Cervus timorensis Muller and Schlegel) Utilization in Upland Kebar grassland, West Papua, Indonesia

(Indonesia), Master of Science in Animal Science (University of the Philippines Los Baños)

Thesis Abstract:

 

This study aimed to provide baseline information on deer utilization and its implication to the population for a sustainable forage management in the upland Kebar in West Papua, Indonesia. Some related activities of the natives around the study site were analyzed by interviewing some key informants. Deer population census and habitat analysis were carried out to identify deer utilization and implication to the population and habitat.

Deer utilization in the upland Kebar grassland was purely done through hunting for food and cash. Instead of performing traditional hunting, modern hunting using firearms was observed.

The estimated deer population in a 375-ha grassland area was 1,081 animals with 4density level of three deer/ha. The composition of deer population structure was as follows: adult, 57 percent; fawns, 25 percent; and sub-adults, 18 percent. Sex ratio was one male to two females.

The grazing area was composed of 11 grass and five legume species. Deer food plants in Kebar were Imperata cylindrica, Paspalum conjugatum, Themeda arguens, Melinis minutiflora, and Cyperus rotundus. Productivity of the grassland was 30.36 kg/ha, while the carrying capacity was about four deer/ha.