This Study was conducted in Nimule National Park in four locations namely; Matar site, Panjalla, Somo I and Somo11, during the wet and dry seasons of 2015and 2016. The purpose of the study was to determine food habits and the diurnal activity patterns of Uganda kob (kobuskob), Thirty-three plant species comprising forbs, grasses and trees were identified in the diet composition of Uganda kob using micro-histological technique. The highest percentages of grass species in the fecal pellets are Cyperus imbricatus followed by Echinochloasp, Setaria verticilliata and Setaria sp. The highest percentages offorbs were Ipomoea aquatic and Polygonum argyocoleon. The highest percentage of trees were Acacia seberiana, Acacia comphycantha and Acacia Seyal. The diurnal activity of the animal starts early in the morning from 7:00 am till 12 pm when the animal begins feeding walking and resting and from the midday to 7:00 pm the resting time increases while the feeding activity decreases. Habitats composition of Uganda kob Kobus kob should be protect from human destructions to meet appropriate requirements during the entire seasons of the year.

Keywords: food habits, diurnal activity patterns, micro-histological technique

Uganda Kob Kobus kobis an antelope found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to South Sudan. The distribution from western Africa to central east Africa is patchy. It is seen in Murchison falls and Queen Elizabeth National park in Uganda as well as grassy floodplains of South Sudan. Food availability is one of the most important factors influencing the distribution of free ranging wild ungulates and hence formulation of management strategy for a protected area that necessarily requires adequate information on the food habits.¹ Equally important for sound management is the information on spatio- temporal variation in food availability, possibility of competition for certain food resources. Hence food regulating ungulate populations needs detailed dietary studies. The diets composition selected by wild and domestic ungulate have long been of interest to range and wildlife ecology. Numerous tabulations of diet composition are available in the literature. However, diets composition data alone are not satisfactory for explaining the reasons for observed diet difference between animal species. The study of food and feeding habits of Uganda Kob Kobus kob in Nimule National Park will provide base line information for population distribution in different localities. There is a large number of Uganda Kob Kobus kobin the area compared to other animals, hence needs sound management plan. Identification of vegetation samples from trees, shrubs, grassland and woodland, as well as plant species utilized by grazing and browsing Uganda Kobs Kobus kob in the area will give information for the status of the study site carrying capacity. The study aim was to determine food and feeding habits and provide accounts of food spectrum and seasonal variation in diet of Uganda Kob Kobus kob in Nimule National Park.

Nimule National Park (NNP) was established in 1935 as a game reserve and upgraded to a National Park in 1954, with an area of 410 Km².² The climate of Nimule National Park and its surrounding is not different from that of the southern part of the Southern Sudan especially those of high wood land savanna. It is essentially of continental dry season. The rainy season in Nimule area starts in April and ends in November. The mean annual rainfall in Nimule varies between 1000 and 1200 mm, and the mean daily temperature is 27c. The highest temperature occurs in March reaching 29 while the lowest usually in July 24.³ NNP is mainly in area of deciduous high woodland savanna characterized by broad leaf trees some of which are evergreen. The grasses are perennial that grow to a height of 4-8 feet according to Abdalla.²

Samples were collected in Nimule National park, South Sudan in the wet and dry seasons in 2015, and 2016. The collection of samples began during the wet season of August to November 2015, where many plant species reached to the stage of maturation and were noticeable for identification. Collection of samples for the dry season began from January to the early April 2016. Data were collected at four locations in the park. The first location is Matar site which fall in the middle of the park lying along river bank, dominated by different types of habitats, grassland and woodland varying from trees to shrubs that provide food and shelter for Uganda Kob Kobus kob and other wildlife species. The second location is Pancallaat the south side to the border of South Sudan - Uganda which acts as feeding site to Uganda kob Kobus kob and migratory route of elephants. The third location is Samo II which lies to river side opposite to the eastern side of Nimule Town. The area is a feeding site for Uganda Kob Kobus kob and other wildlife species such as elephants, warthogs, reedbucks, hippopotamus, dig digs and wildcats. The fourth location is SomoI which is generally composed of woodland at the western north and is dominant by Acacia seberiana, nilotica and Combretumsp (Figure 1).

Figure 1 Location map of Nimule National Park and the Study sites, September 2015.

Direct observation of animal in the field was carried out according to Altman.⁴ Observations were conducted to estimate the feeding preferences and selection. Each observation represents one individual of Uganda Kob foraging on plant species according to Altman.⁴ Time budget of Uganda Kob in the study area during the dry season was conducted at different levels of 12 hours a day. Twelve hours of the diurnal activities were systemically divided in to 15 minutes observations. Counts start from 7:00 am and end at 7:00 pm. for different activities carried by Uganda kob Kobus kob during the day time such as feeding, walking, drinking, running, resting, standing and looking. Direct observation of a Uganda kob Kobus kob foraging was conducted at Matar site where most of Uganda kobs Kobus kob were found feeding due to availability of food and other biological needs which are available there. fresh and old fecal pellets were scanned, plant species and other types of habitats in squares quadrate were classified and recorded using digital Camera in Matar site.

Samples of grasses, forbs and trees were collected in the wet and dry seasons, grasses and forbs were collected during the rainy season from August to November 2015 and 2016. Transects of square quadrates were used for vegetation sampling in the four locations of the study area. Plant collected were preserved and kept in herbarium. Plant species were collected after approaching stage of development where its parts were easily visible for further identification such as leaf, steams, fruits, and flowers. Plant identification was done using Field Guide of Sudan Text book of Ecology. The unknown plants species from grasses and forbs were taken to a Botanist for further identification. Keys identification of plant fragments of Dinder National Park Sudan was used Awad.⁵

Fecal pellets collection

Fresh and old fecal pellets were collected and placed in a tube labeled with the day, date, month and year of collection. Footprints of Uganda kob Kobus kob and other animals found in the feeding areas were scanned. Fecal pellets collected for each tube were ranging between 10 -12 pellets from each of fresh and old drops. 15 tubes of fecal pellets from each of feeding site were collected separately.

Fecal pellets preservation and analysis

Preservation of fecal pellets was done based on drying through direct sun heat. Each tube containing fecal pellets was placed into white paper for dehydration and amount of sodium chloride (Salt) was added on it thoroughly to prevent decomposition of samples. Samples were packed into tubes after completed dehydration and then papered for analysis using -Micro histological technique. The dietary composition of the Uganda kob Kobus kob was determined according to Stewart.⁶

Fecal pellets were ground through a Wiley mill (1-mm screen) to ensure through mixing, three slides from composted pellets of each feeding locations of the study area were prepared independently. Phase contrast microscopic X100 Lens was used for identification of slide samples following the procedure of Sparks and. A total of 100 fields per sample were read through a phase contrast microscopic, each slide was magnified 50 times and all recognizable plant fragments were recorded. Plant fragments were identified in the microscopic fields and were compared to the observed characteristics of the plant fragments of the same material on a reference slide.⁷

Identification of plant species comprising food composition of Uganda Kob Kobus kob using Micro histological technique is based on tissue structure of the plant species found in its fecal pellets. Thirty-one species of plants were identified in the fecal pellets of Uganda kob Kobus kob, comprising 41.9% grasses, 13 % forbs and 45.2 % trees and shrubs in the wet season August, 2015 (Table 1). The high percentage of grass species in fecal pellet were Cyperus imbricatus followed by Beckeroposissp and Echinochloasp, Setaria verticilliata and Setaria sp. The highest percentages of forbs were Ipomoea aquatic and Polygonum argyocoleon. The high percentages of trees were Acacia comphycantha, Acacia seyal, Acacia seberiana and lastly Vernonia sp. and Cissussp.

Thirty-two of plant species were identified in the fecal pellets of Uganda kob Kobus kob comprising 63%grasses 79% forbs and 41% trees and shrubs in the wet season in September 2015 (Table 1). The highest percentages of grasses in the fecal pellets were Echinochloasp followed by Cyperus imbricatus, Beckeroposissp and Setaria verticilliata. The highest percentages of forbs in the fecal pellets were Ipomoea aquatic, Ploygonum argyocoleon and ploygonumcoceineum. The highest percentages of trees in the fecal pellets were Acacia compyhcantha, Acacia seyal and Acacia Seberiana.

Thirty-one of plant species was identified in the fecal pellets of Uganda kob Kobus kob in the dry season in January 2016 (Table 2) comprising of 40% grasses 27% forbs and 78% trees and shrubs. The highest percentages of grasses in the fecal pellets of Uganda kob Kobus kob were Echinochloasp followed by Setaria verticilliata, Setariasp and Cyperus imbricatus. Apparently, forbs were not well selected in the dry season, which means kob Kobus kob appears to depend on trees and shrubs. The highest percentages of trees are Acacia seyal, Acacia comphycantha, Acacia seberiana and Vernonia sp.

Thirty-two of plant species were identified in the fecal pellets of Uganda kob Kobus kob in April, 2016 (Table 2) comprising 63% grasses, 79% forbs and 41% trees and shrubs. The highest percentages of grasses in the fecal pellets were Echinochloasp followed by Setaria verticilliata and Haparrhenia variables. The highest percentages of forbs in the fecal pellets were Ploygonumcoceineum, Ploygonum argyocoleon and Ipomeoa aquatic. The highest percentages of trees in the feacal pellets were Vernonia sp, Acacia compyhcantha and Acacia Seberiana.

Table 3 Shows summaries of the diet selected by Uganda kob in wet and the dry seasons. Plant species mostly preferred were Echinocholasp. and Acacia comphycantha and the other selected plant species were two grass species from Setaria verticilliata, setairasp, two forb species from (Ipomoea , Hibiscus pandoniformis and Polygonum sp) and tree species from (Acacia seberiana), this result is agreed with studies from western Africa to central East Africa area, that determined grasses preferred by kobs were Hyparrhenia species, Brachiaria brizantha, Setariagayanus, Chlorisgayana, Echinochloa and Digitaria spp. Bindernagel⁸ results from fecal pellets analysis determined food items utilized by Uganda Kob Kobus kob in wet and dry seasons were mostly from Dicotyledonous compared to Monocotyledonous. The study proved that Uganda Kob Kobus kob is a browser animal in the dry season and mixed feeder under favorable circumstances when there is availability of food resources in the wet season, this agrees with Westoby.⁹ Fibrous plants may be the only food found during the dry periods or in arid environment, as Uganda Kob Kobus kob defecates hard and more compact fecal pellets during the dry periods or in the tropical rain forest ecosystem.

The peak of foraging activity of Uganda kob Kobus kob in the morning was from 9:00- 10:00 am followed by 7:00-8:00 am then decreasing from 8:00- 9:00am and from 6:00- 7:00 pm which is the end of the daily activities of the day. The peak of walking activity was from 10:00- 11:00am then decreases from 8:00-9:00 am, 7:00- 8:00 am and 1:00 - 2:00 pm then by the time 3:00- 4:00 pm the activity decreases to the lower point due to the heat of the sun which let Uganda Kob Kobus kob to leave for shading. The peak of resting activity was at 6:00-7:00 pm followed by 3:00-4:00 pm, 11:00-12:00 am and 2:00-3:00 pm. The resting activities during the day time was due to the high temperature while in the latest hours is for sleeping (Table 4).

The high activity was due to the low temperature or cool weather. Uganda Kob Kobus kob is diurnal but inactive during the heat of the day. They move together and are more social in territories at the time of mating. Females move at the front in the daily movements to water. However, in larger herds the females take their signals from other females where males are also present in the migratory herds following the females, Male herds that may be numbered in hundreds accompany females as they travel during the dry season (Table 5).

Most active time of Uganda Kob Kobus kob was from 9:00 1:00 am followed by 7:00: 8:00 am because of low temperature in the morning hours. Uganda kob feeds on grass species intensively and shift to become browser. Acacia seiberiana and Crateva adansonii were observed in the diet composition of kob in the two seasons. This indicated that the plants are dominant in the area and are selected and preferred by Uganda kob Kobus kob. Vernonia sp, Acacia comphycantha, and Acacia seberiana were found in high frequency in the diet composition of Uganda kob Kobus kob in the dry season with percentage of 78% for Acacia comphycantha, 68% for Acacia seberiana and 57% for Vernonia. Uganda kob Kobus kob feeds on wood trees in the dry season in all locations sampled, hence has strong correlation to habitats composition that consists of trees mainly Acacia seberiana, Acacia comphyycantha and Acacia nilotica. It is clear that the composition of habitat becomes higher during the rainy season where many of plant species are available. Uganda Kob Kobus kob is facing two decimating factors, first is illegal hunting carried by communities living around the Park and some of armed forces living around the protected area for their local consumption in adjacent locations of South Sudan- Uganda border. Second, is the ambush of python during resting hours at night in the wet season.

1. Further studies should be carried out to avail more information on Uganda kobs Kobus kob for preparing effective management and conservation plans.
2. Uganda kob Kobus kob population distribution in the park should intentionally find protection from illegal hunting activities carried during the dry season.
3. Habitats composition of Uganda kob Kobus kob should be conserved from human destructions to meet appropriate requirements during all seasons of the year.

Our gratitude and sincerely thanks to the partners and intuitions that have stood in support for the success of this work. My sincere thanks and gratitude go to the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, Government of South Sudan. Special thanks to the laboratory technician of biotechnology Mr. Tallal and Ali at the College of Applied Sciences, Bahri University, Khartoum, Sudan.

The author declares there is no conflicts of interest.

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