Effects of age,body size and season on food consumption and digestion of captive dugongs (Dugong dugon) |
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Authors: | Masakazu Goto Chisato Ito Mohammed Sani Yahaya Keiko Wakamura Shiro Asano Yoshihito Wakai |
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Institution: | 1. Faculty of Bioresources , Mie University , 1515 Kamihama-cho, Tsu 514-8507, Japan;2. Toba Aquarium , 3-3-6 Toba 517-8517, Japan |
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Abstract: | Food consumption and digestion of male and female dugongs (Dugong dugon) was examined by analyzing long-term (1979–1998) feeding records at Toba Aquarium (Japan). Throughout all captive feeding periods, dugongs consumed eelgrass (Zostera marina) and showed steady increases in feed consumption with a consistent weight gain of 42–45?kg a year. The daily consumption of male and female dugongs increased from 10–15?kg to 23–26?kg of fresh eelgrass, accounting for approximately 14 and 7% of their body weight at one and seven years old, respectively. Both dugongs had a marginal dry matter digestibility of over 90%. Food consumption varied between seasons and individuals. There were major reductions (P<0.05) in consumption by the male in November and January and by the female in August and September. The seasonal reductions in food consumption coincided with high digestibility of eelgrass. |
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Keywords: | Captive feeding Digestion Dugong Eelgrass Food consumption |
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