FEEDING ECOLOGY OF OLIVE BABOON (PAPIO ANUBIS) IN ARBA MINCH FOREST, ARBA MINCH, ETHIOPIA

The diet of Olive baboon (Papio anubis) were assessed at Arba Minch Forest within Nech Sar National Park in Arba Minch, Ethiopia. They normally eat seed, flowers, woody bark, insects, buds, etc. Olive Baboon dietary data were collected for 15 days at 9 to 11 hours by members of the study groups during scan sampling. During the activity of scan sampling, the type of food item: leaves, roots, stem, flower, fruit, shoot, bark, bud or animal prey and the type of species consumed were recorded on a standardized data sheet in each transect line. The frequency of food items observed in the field varied in the study area. Fruits (27.97%) constituted the largest portion of the diet of the Olive Baboons during this study. There were 6 items of food in the feeding ecology of Olive Baboons in the ground water forest, Nech Sar National Park, as revealed during the present study. The homogeneity of the habitat in the Ground water forest of Nech Sar National Park might have contributed to the less variety of food items. Olive Baboons are known to eat diverse food items. Fruits were a major food items for an extended time. This may be due to most plants in ground water forest had fruits throughout the year with very little monthly variation. Based on the data of the present study, Olive Baboons are considered as generalists inhabiting different habitats. From the current project we recommend that it is possible to enhance the number of plant species which can give fruit for Olive Baboons.