Identification, abundance and diversity of forage plants for Anoa (Bubalus spp.) in Abdul Latief Forest Park

Anoa (Bubalus spp.) is a protected endemic species on the Sulawesi Island. An assessment of its habitat is needed to maintain the conservation, especially for the forage plants consume. Therefore, this study aims to determine the types, abundance, and diversity of the available forage plants for Anoa in the Abdul Latief Forest Park. The study was carried out using checkered lines with a descriptive approach in three blocks, including station I as protection block, station II as utilization block, and station III as collection block. The checkered line method contains three repetitions in three blocks with a total area of 1.8 ha. Data analysis was carried out using the Shannon-Wienner variability formula, Margalef wealth index, Evenness abundance, and dominance index. Based on the results, six plants were identified as Anoa feed, including Ficus racemosa L., Elatostema integrifolium (D. Don) Wedd., Nephrolepis sp., Begonia sp., Scleria multifoliata Boeck., and Alpinia sp. Furthermore, the leaf is the most consumed part of the plant by Anoa, and the E. integrifolium (D. Don) Wedd. is the forage plant with the highest abundance value of 49,167 (ind ha−1) in the protection block. Meanwhile, for the diversity value, each block was in a low category at 0.88, 1.28, and 1.44, respectively. Based on the index value of species wealth, the highest value was observed in the collection block; hence more species were discovered in this block than the other two blocks. However, Elatostema integrifolium (D. Don) Wedd. showed a dominance index in the protection block. This study affects the conservation of Anoa in the area to be continued by observing the biodiversity utilization, which is too burdensome without regard to sustainability.