Preferensi Pakan dan Perilaku Makan Walabi Lincah (Macropus agilis Peters and Doria,1875) di Kebun Binatang Gembira loka Yogyakarta.

Abstract

Agile wallaby (Macropus agilis Peters and Doria, 1841) is a marsupial fauna endemic in Papua. Population of agile wallaby is declining significantly because of illegal hunting, reducing and changing of their savanna habitat, competition with timor deer (Rusa timorensis), and forest fire. One of ex-situ conservation strategy of agile wallaby is the captive breeding. Food preference and feeding behavior is the important factor in the breeding. This research used Focal Animal Sampling method. The result research shows that the most prefered feed is water spinach (Ipomea reptans) with the index is 1.58. Based on the test Chi-Square (X2) test known significant (P > 0.05), that the behavior of eating males and females wallaby are not far different from pattern of walking, approach, taking, chewing and ruminating. The palatability and the highest feed preferences on the type of water spinach and the common feeding behavior of agile wallaby are by walking, probing by smelling, eating, chewing and ruminating.