Mohd-Radzi Nor Hafisa Syafina, Karuppannan Kayal Vizi, Abdullah-Fauzi Nurfatiha Akmal Fawwazah, Mohd-Ridwan Abd Rahman, Othman Nursyuhada, Muhammad Abu Bakar Abdul-Latiff, Gani Millawati, Abdul-Razak Mohd Firdaus Ariff, Md-Zain Badrul Munir
Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43000, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 43000, Bangi, Selangor Malaysia.
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), KM 10 Jalan Cheras, 56100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), KM 10 Jalan Cheras 56100, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
Biodivers Data J. 2022 Oct 20;10:e89752. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.10.e89752. eCollection 2022.
Human-elephant conflict (HEC) contributes to the increasing death of Asian elephants due to road accidents, retaliatory killings and fatal infections from being trapped in snares. Understanding the diet of elephants throughout Peninsular Malaysia remains crucial to improve their habitat quality and reduce scenarios of HEC. DNA metabarcoding allows investigating the diet of animals without direct observation, especially in risky conflict areas. The aim of this study was to determine: i) the diet of wild Asian elephants from HEC areas in Peninsular Malaysia using DNA metabarcoding and ii) the influence of distinct environmental parameters at HEC locations on their feeding patterns. DNA was extracted from 39 faecal samples and pooled into 12 groups representing the different sample locations: Kuala Koh, Kenyir, Ulu Muda, Sira Batu, Kupang-Grik, Bumbun Tahan, Belum-Temengor, Grik, Kampung Pagi, Kampung Kuala Balah, Aring 10 and the National Elephant Conservation Centre, which served as a positive control for this study. DNA amplification and sequencing targeted the ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase gene using the next-generation sequencing Illumina iSeq100 platform. Overall, we identified 35 orders, 88 families, 196 genera and 237 species of plants in the diet of the Asian elephants at HEC hotspots. (Moraceae), (Zingiberaceae), (Arecaceae), (Fabaceae), (Clusiaceae) and (Dichapetalaceae) were the highly abundant dietary plants. The plants successfully identified in this study could be used by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) to create buffer zones by planting the recommended dietary plants around HEC locations and trails of elephants within Central Forest Spine (CFS) landscape.
人象冲突（HEC）导致亚洲象因道路事故、报复性杀戮以及被困陷阱引发的致命感染而死亡数量不断增加。了解马来西亚半岛各地大象的饮食对于改善它们的栖息地质量和减少人象冲突情况仍然至关重要。DNA宏条形码技术能够在不进行直接观察的情况下研究动物的饮食，尤其是在存在风险的冲突地区。本研究的目的是确定：i）使用DNA宏条形码技术确定马来西亚半岛人象冲突地区野生亚洲象的饮食；ii）人象冲突地点不同环境参数对其觅食模式的影响。从39份粪便样本中提取DNA，并将其合并为12组，代表不同的样本地点：瓜拉科、肯逸、乌鲁慕达、锡拉峇都、古邦-格里克、班本塔汉、贝伦-特孟戈尔、格里克、甘榜帕吉、甘榜瓜拉巴拉、阿林10以及国家大象保护中心，该中心作为本研究的阳性对照。使用下一代测序Illumina iSeq100平台对核酮糖-1,5-二磷酸羧化酶基因进行DNA扩增和测序。总体而言，我们在人象冲突热点地区亚洲象的饮食中鉴定出了35个目、88个科、196个属和237种植物。桑科、姜科、棕榈科、豆科、藤黄科和毒鼠子科是饮食中含量丰富的植物。本研究中成功鉴定出的植物可被野生动物和国家公园局（PERHILITAN）用于通过在人象冲突地点以及中央森林脊柱（CFS）景观内大象的踪迹周围种植推荐的饮食植物来创建缓冲区。
