FOOD PREFERENCES OF BLACK RHINOCEROS IN THE TSAVO NATIONAL PARK

Food preferences of the black rhinoceros population in Tsavo National Park, Kenya were studied from 1967 to 1969. Feeding rhinoceros were watched for a period of 1 h, and the plants which they selected and rejected were identified, either as they were feeding or when they had moved on. A technique was used which provided an indication of the relative importance of certain plants in the diet during the wet and dry seasons. A total of 70 h was spent actually watching feeding rhinoceros in six habitat types representative of the changing ecosystem; 3,600 feeding stations were examined. Black rhinoceros were observed eating 102 species from 32 botanical families. In all habitat types the rhinoceros is very selective for herbs and shrubs, and shows a marked preference for legumes. Available grasses are very rarely eaten. Results of food preference studies in other areas of East Africa are compared with the present study. It is suggested that the abundance and distribution of certain kinds of leguminose flora may be the key to an optimum black rhinoceros habitat.