Muhammad Fajar Setiawan, Yulia Rahma Fitriana, Elisabeth Devi Krismurniati, Gunardi Djoko Winarno

MEKANISME PEMBERIAN PAKAN GAJAH SUMATERA (Elephas maximus sumateranus) JINAK DI PUSAT LATIHAN GAJAH TAMAN NASIONAL WAY KAMBAS

Introduction

Mekanisme pemberian pakan gajah sumatera (elephas maximus sumateranus) jinak di pusat latihan gajah taman nasional way kambas. Penelitian ini menganalisis mekanisme pemberian pakan gajah jinak di Pusat Latihan Gajah TNWK, mencakup pakan alami, drop-in, dan suplemen. Penting untuk pengelolaan gajah.

Abstract

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis mekanisme pemberian pakan gajah jinak di PLG TNWK dalam memenuhi kebutuhan pakannya. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah observasi secara langsung selama satu bulan dengan menggunakan Teknik sampling yaitu purposive sampling dimana sampel gajah jinak yang dipilih adalah 6 ekor gajah dewasa dan 6 ekor gajah anak/remaja. Hasil observasi menunjukkan bahwa gajah jinak yang terdapat di PLG memiliki dua sumber pakan utama yaitu pakan alami ketika gajah digembalakan dan pakan drop in setelah gajah digembalakan. Pakan alami diperoleh dengan dilakukan penggembalaan di kawasan PLG TNWK yang terdiri dari beberapa tipe ekosistem yaitu ekosistem padang rumput, ekosistem rawa dan ekosistem hutan sekunder. Pakan drop in dihasilkan dari hasil panen ladang pakan yang ada di PLG TNWK. Pakan tambahan yang diberikan berupa bubur suplemen, sayuran dan buah-buahan seperti tebu, pisang dan nanas. Penelitian ini menghasilkan data dasar dalam pengelolaan gajah jinak yang berperan dalam ketersediaan pakan satwa.

Review

This study presents a timely and relevant investigation into the feeding mechanisms employed for domesticated Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumateranus) at the Elephant Training Center within Way Kambas National Park (PLG TNWK). The research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how the nutritional requirements of these captive elephants are met, a critical aspect for their welfare and the overall success of conservation efforts for this endangered species. By focusing on the practical daily feeding strategies, the paper contributes valuable baseline data to the field of captive wildlife management. The methodology involved direct observation over one month, utilizing purposive sampling to include six adult and six juvenile/adolescent elephants. The findings reveal a multifaceted feeding strategy comprising two primary sources: natural foraging during grazing in diverse ecosystems such as grasslands, swamps, and secondary forests within the PLG TNWK area, and "drop-in" feed derived from the center's dedicated fodder fields. This is further supplemented with additional provisions including nutritional porridge, vegetables, and various fruits like sugarcane, bananas, and pineapples. The study successfully delineates these feeding components, establishing foundational data essential for the ongoing management of the facility's elephant population. While the study provides crucial baseline data on the *mechanisms* and *sources* of feed, its abstract, focusing on "meeting their food needs," does not elaborate on the quantitative aspects of nutritional adequacy. Future research building upon this foundational work could greatly benefit from quantifying the actual intake of each food type by individual elephants, performing nutritional analyses of the various feed components, and correlating feeding regimes with objective health and body condition metrics. Such detailed analyses would allow for a more precise evaluation of whether the current mechanisms truly optimize elephant welfare and provide guidance for developing more scientifically robust and cost-effective feeding protocols, thereby further strengthening the conservation impact of the PLG TNWK.

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