Nutrients Availability and Food Preference in Nursing Stump-Tailed Monkey (Macaca arctoides) at Aizawl Zoological Park, Mizoram

The study was aimed to assess spontaneous food preferences in captive stump-tailed macaques and to correlate it with nutrients availability in the food items eaten by nursing females. The study was conducted at Aizawl Zoological Park where three captive stump-tailed female monkey (Macaca arctoides) with their infants were maintained on routine diet. The females were repeatedly presented (n=10) all possible binary combinations of 7 types of food items using a 2-alternative choice test method. A positive correlation (P<0.05) between the food preference rank and the total lipid and magnesium contents in the food was observed. Experiment on choice of food item was performed at 09: 00, 12: 00 and 15: 00 h of the day. The rank of preference for the food items across the day was similar. The study suggested that captive nursing females are selective feeders and food items rich in lipid and magnesium were selected to meet increased energy requirement and milk production.