Pemanfaatan Burung Serak Sulawesi (Tyto rosenbergii Schlegel) untuk Mengendalikan Tikus pada Perkebunan Kelapa Sawit di Sulawesi

Abstract

Kelapa sawit (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) merupakan salah satu komoditas perkebunan yang mempunyai peran penting dalam kegiatan perekonomian. Indonesia merupakan negara produsen dan eksportir kelapa sawit terbesar di dunia. Budidaya tanaman kelapa sawit tidak terlepas dari organisme pengganggu tanaman (OPT) baik hama, penyakit, maupun gulma yang dapat menurunkan kualitas maupun kuantitas hasil panen. Tikus merupakan salah satu hama penting pada perkebunan kelapa sawit. Burung hantu (Tytonidae) merupakan predator potensial untuk mengendalikan tikus pada perkebunan kelapa sawit. Penelitian dikonsentrasikan untuk mengkaji sejarah dan perkembangan burung serak sulawesi pada gupon (sangkar buatan), pola reproduksi, predasi, dan perilaku bersarang burung serak sulawesi (T. rosenbergii) di perkebunan kelapa sawit. Penelitian dilakukan di lanskap perkebunan kelapa sawit yang terletak di Desa Towiora, Kecamatan Rio Pakava, Kabupaten Donggala, Sulawesi Tengah dan Desa Martasari, Kecamatan Pedongga, Kabupaten Pasangkayu, Sulawesi Barat. Kegiatan penelitian mencakup dua jenis kegiatan antara lain pengumpulan data primer dengan melakukan pengamatan lapangan, serta melakukan analisis terhadap data sekunder. Metode yang digunakan dalam pengamatan lapangan yaitu dengan observasi langsung terhadap objek penelitian, yang meliputi identifikasi morfologi burung, pemangsaan dan perilaku makan, pola reproduksi, serta perilaku bersarang pada gupon (sangkar buatan). Pengamatan dilakukan secara langsung maupun menggunakan kamera jebak. Analisis data sekunder dilakukan untuk mengetahui sejarah penggunaan burung serak sulawesi pada lokasi penelitian, serta mengetahui perkembangannya di lapangan. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, pemanfaatan burung serak sulawesi dilaksanakan mulai tahun 1998 dengan pemasangan gupon pada blok tertentu yang memiliki serangan tikus yang tinggi. Hasil pengamatan pola reproduksi, jumlah telur yang dihasilkan berkisar antara 2–6 butir telur dengan rata-rata 3,85 butir. Persentase penetasan berkisar antara 0–100% dengan rata-rata penetasan 80,77%. Anak burung berbulu lengkap pada umur 8 minggu. Persentase anak burung yang bertahan hidup sampai berbulu lengkap sebesar 51%. Hasil pengujian tingkat predasi, burung serak sulawesi mampu memangsa 1- 4 ekor tikus dalam satu malam serta mampu mengonsumsi pakan per hari sebanyak 26,68 g/100 g bobot tubuh burung. Aktivitas burung serak sulawesi lebih banyak dilakukan di luar gupon dibandingkan di dalam gupon, kecuali saat musim reproduksi sedang berlangsung.

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq) is the one of plantation commodities which have important role in economic sector. Indonesia is the biggest for producing and exporting crude palm oil in the world. Oil palm cultivation cannot be separated from organism of plant pest, diseases, and weeds which can reduce the quality and quantity of yields. Rats are the most important pests in the oil palm plantation. Tytonidae is a predator that have potential for controlling rats in oil plam plantation. The research was focused on examining the history and development in nest box, reproductive patterns, predation, and nesting behavior of the sulawesi masked owl (T. rosenbergii) in oil palm plantations. The research was conducted in the oil palm plantation landscape located in Towiora Village, Rio Pakava District, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi and Martasari Village, Pedongga District, Pasangkayu Regency, West Sulawesi. Research activities include two types of activities i.e. primary data collection by conducting field observations, and analyzing secondary data. The method used in field observations was direct observation of the object of research, which included identification of owl morphology, predation and feeding behavior, reproductive patterns, and nesting behavior in nest box. Observations were made either directly or using camera traps. Secondary data analysis was carried out to determine the history of owl use at the research location, as well as to determine its development in the field. Based on the results of the study, the use of T. rosenbergii was carried out starting in 1998 with the installation of nest boxes on certain blocks that had high rat attack. The results of the observation of reproductive patterns showed that the number of eggs produced ranged from 2–6 eggs with an average of 3,85 eggs. The hatching percentage ranges from 0–100% with an average hatching rate of 80,77%. Fully feathered chicks were at 8 weeks of age. The percentage of chicks that survive until they have full hair is 51%. The results of the predation level test showed that the T. rosenbergii was able to kill 1-4 rats in one night and was able to consume 26,68 g/100 g of bird body weight per day. The activity of T. rosenbergii were mostly occured outside the nest box than inside, except when they had reproductive season.