- International Journal of Pure and Applied Zoology (2015) Volume 3, Issue 2

Substrate Utilization By Bengal Sacred Langur Semnopithecus Entellus (Dufresne, 1797) in Jessore, Bangladesh: Effect of Resource Type on Feeding in Urban And Rural Groups

Substrate utilization by Bengal sacred langur (Semnopithecus entellus) was studied from September, 2012 to August, 2013 in Jessore, Bangladesh. The study was based on direct observation from dawn to dusk and data was collected using focal animal sampling. The results showed that Bengal sacred langur is not totally arboreal or ground dwellers but they use different layers of trees, wall/roof of houses and other substrates, depending on suitability and presence of substrates. The langur spent 32.6% of their total time on ground followed by 21.8%, 15.7%, 15.4% and 14.4% for canopy, roof/wall, lower canopy and mid canopy, respectively. Regardless of group, the time spent on behavioral activities of Bengal sacred langur was significantly varied across the different substrates. Langurs of the urban group spent more time on ground and roof/wall than the rural group, on the other hand the rural group utilized different layers of trees. Regardless of group, Bengal sacred langur of all age-sex classes spent more or less similar time on different substrates in their habitat except canopy, in where sub-adult insisted on more time than adults. Langurs of the rural and the urban group spent 130 and 150 min/day, respectively on feeding from different food sources. The urban group spent more time on ground and roof/wall for feeding whereas the rural group insisted on basically arboreal feeding. These are probably due to the differences of food sources between two habitats. Time spent feeding significantly differed across the food sources in both the rural and the urban groups of Bengal sacred langurs.

Author(s): Md. Mokhlesur Rahman, M. Firoj Jaman,Mst. Tahmina Khatun, Shayer Mahmood Ibney Alam, A.R.M. Ruhul Kayum and Mayen Uddin

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