Identified Plant Species and Nutrient Contents of Plants Consumed by Hamadryas Baboon (Papio hamadryas hamadryas) in Awash National Park, Ethiopia

Plant species identification and detection of moisture, protein, lipid ash and sugar contents of plants that are consumed by hamadryas baboon in Awash National Park was studied from March 2015 to April 2016. The methods used were scan sampling following the baboons from early morning to late afternoon until 6:00 PM. and laboratory for moisture, protein, lipid ash and sugar content analysis. Samples were collected from Filwoha area where the baboons largely resided. Samples were collected through scan sampling technique from March 2015 to April 2016 both during wet and dry seasons. The samples were taken to Addis Ababa University herbarium for species identification and 73 species that are consumed by hamadryas baboons were identified. The species were identified by their scientific name, common name and local names. For moisture, protein, lipid ash sugar content analysis, the samples were collected shade dried, packed in plastic bags and transported to the laboratory for chemical content analysis. Samples were collected following the AOAC official methods of analysis (2005), method number 922.01. For nutrient content analysis, different methods were used. Drying oven for moisture, micro Kjeldahl for protein, Randal modified Soxhlet for lipid extraction, electric muffle furnace for ash were used to analyze the sample fruits under investigation. Total carbohydrate was determined by difference. DNS (Dinitrosalicylic Acid Solution 1%) and potassium sodium tartrate solution 40% was used to analyze reducing sugars. B. aegyptiaca, Acacia species gum, and Hyphaene thebiaca have high contents of moisture and other samples have more or less similar and it is less because Filoha area is semi-arid. Herb, B. aegyptiaca leave, Acacia Senegal seeds have contents of protein but Acacia species gum, has the lowest protein content, while other samples have more or less moderate content. Almost all samples analyzed for lipid, they have low content. Dobera glabera leaves have the high content of ash. But herb leaves, B. aegyptiaca leaves, grass leaves, Hyphaene thebiaca fruit have moderate ash content in compared to WHO/FAO standard. The rest of the samples have less contents of ash. The B. aegyptiaca fruit (mesocarp) has high content of sugar and even the pericarp also has high sugar content relative to other species of plants collected and analyzed for their sugar content. But the leaves have less content of sugar. Next to B. aegyptiaca fruit, H. thebaica fruit has high content of sugar than other plant species analyzed for their sugar content. D. glabra leaves have the least sugar contents than other plants analyzed for their sugar content.

Author(s): Mesele Admassu Mersha, Afework Bekele and Jae Cherl Kim

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