The feed plants species of Cuscus Phalanger orientalis in Yamna Island, Sarmi Regency

This research study was to determine the species of feed consumed by cuscus Phalanger orientalis in Yamna Island of Sarmi Regency. The study was conducted on the Yamna Island for one month. The method used was descriptive method with field observations and interviews. The results showed that, the species of feed from Phalanger orientalis on the Yamna Island was very diverse and varied, where there were 25 species of feed derived from 20 vegetation species of forest and five (5) species of agricultural crops. Vegetation parts were consumed mostly in the form of shoots, flowers, ripe fruit, ripe seeds and juice.


Introduction
Papua had diverse biological resources, one of which was wild animals, such as mammals, avian, amphibians and reptiles. These animals had long been used by communities for generations to meet the needs of daily life, especially in meeting the needs of protein. Yamna island was a part of Papua that was administratively included in the Sarmi Regency [3] was also rich in wildlife potential, including cuscus, monitor lizards, snakes, canary crabs and bats and various species of birds such as hornbills, storks and crow [7;19]. Wildlife in the region was always used by some residents as a source of food. One of the species of animals that were utilized in the area were cuscus which were marsupial (Marsupial), nocturnal (active at night), long strong tailed (pre-hensil) and belong to the family Phalangaridae [12;13;5]. This animal was well developed because the forests on Yamna Island still provide sufficient feed, even though some forests had been converted to expand settlements and agricultural areas.
Seeing the development that was currently also directed to the island of Yamna to open and reach the isolation of the area, it was certain that part of the forest would be converted for expansion of development. Especially in the era of autonomy now the region was given the authority to regulate its own natural resources so it was feared that land clearing activities for human activities would also increase. It was generally known that cuscus was an arboreal animal where this animal prefers to live in trees in the forest and some of its life activities such as foraging, reproduction and play were carried out in the forest. The forest which was composed mainly of vegetation or trees was the main food source of cuscus [4]. Parts of vegetation that were the main feed of cuscus were young leaves, flowers, fruit and tree bark. Seeing the enormous role of forests in the survival of these animals, it was clear that if the forest continues to be cleared, the living habitat of these animals would also be disturbed [1;24].
Currently cuscus was categorized in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Flora and Fauna Species (CITES) [2], meaning that if pressure on the habitat received by these animals could not be controlled, these animals would be threatened with extinction. Efforts to control the pressure on the preservation of these animals and their species of food was to maintain the habitat of the cuscus by taking into account the use of forests which were the original habitat of these animals or at least knowing the exact source of feed used by these animals so it would be very helpful if these animals would be well-nurtured in-situ or ex-situ.
East cuscus (Phalanger orientalis) was a species of cuscus found on Yamna sland [7]. Increasing pressure on the island due to increasing population, the inclusion of heavy equipment for logging company logging needs, making Yamna island as a place to log logs from the East Coast land was felt. With the increase in population, their activities had also increased. The expansion of residential areas, agriculture and logging of firewood, boats and building imaterials were examples of human activities seen on this island. These activities greatly impact the reduction in vegetation which acts as a habitat or source of food for the eastern cuscus.
To avoid the loss of the eastern cuscus species of food found on this island, there needs to be efforts to preserve the species of vegetations that were used as a source of food. One effort to preserve the food source of the eastern cuscus on Yamna Island was by documenting the species of vegetation as feed consumed by these animals properly. Based on this reality, research related to documentation of vegetation species as feed and part of feed consumed by the eastern cuscus (Phalanger orientalis) on Yamna Island was carried out.

Material and methods
The research was carried out in Yamna Island, East Coast District, Sarmi Regency, for one month, while identification of feed species was carried out at Manokwariense Herbarium of the Papua Manokwari University Biodiversity Research Center (PPKH). The method used in this research was descriptive method with survey techniques with field observations and interviews. Data collection techniques in this study were carried out in three (3) ways, namely: (1) purposive interviews with people who knew the exact key person of the species of feed East cuscus (Phalanger orientalis), (2) accidental direct observation while cuscus was eating, (3) by taking the leftover food left behind. Respondents interviewed were taken as many as five people with the following criteria: knowing the species of cuscus food found in the area, having traditional cuscus hunting skills, permanent residents of Yamna Island, knowing cuscus food habitat and knowing the parts of vegetation eaten by cuscus. Variables observed were eastern cuscus species consisting of: name (botanical name, local name and common name species of feed), the part eaten (leaves, young shoots, fruit, flowers, seeds, and fruit skin) and growth distribution. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively and presented in tabular form.

Eastern Cuscus Feed
Based on the results of interviews, direct observation and collection of leftover food left in its habitat found twenty-five (25) species of feed vegetation consumed by the eastern cuscus (Phalanger orientalis). These cuscus fodder species were grouped into two namely: the species of feed originating from forest vegetation and the species of feed originating from agricultural crops (Table 1).
Based on Table 1 found 25 species of East cuscus feed (Phalanger orientalis), consisting of 16 species of which were found during field observations, 15 species of them were also found based on the remaining leftover feed. When looked more specifically from the 25 species of feed the eastern cuscus 20 species were forest vegetation and 5 species were agricultural crops. 20 species of forest vegetation were obtained based on the results of interviews, 14 of which were found again in field observations and 11 of them were also found based on leftover food. Furthermore, five species of agricultural crops were obtained based on interviews, two of them were obtained based on direct observations and four of them were also found based on leftover food left behind.  Table 2. Based on the table above, it appears that each region had the potential to spread different or varied cuscus fodder species. However, [16] stated that there were species of foliage which feed these cuscus. Its distribution was evenly found in several places or locations that had been studied in Papua. Among them were the Terminalia cattapa species with Pometia pinnata, and also followed by Intsia bijuga, Gnetum gnemon with Pandanus tectorius. The comparison with the results of this study was presented in Table 3. All of these results indicate that cuscus was classified as a herbivore, according to [11], which states that cuscus was classified as a herbivore marsupial animal that uses vegetation as food and was a leaf-eating or folivorous and frugifore [3]. Vegetation parts consumed include young leaves, young shoots / shoots, young fruit, ripe fruit and flowers.

Vegetation Parts Consumed
Not all parts of feed vegetation found on Yamna Island were consumed by eastern cuscus. Some parts of the vegetation that feed the cuscus were young shoots, flowers, young fruits, ripe fruit, seeds and fruit juice. Vegetation species and parts consumed were presented in Table 4. The parts of vegetation that were mostly consumed by eastern cuscus found on Yamna Island were young shoots, flowers, ripe fruits and there were 11 species of vegetations that were consumed in only one part, while others were consumed in more than one part. These results were in line with the results of previous studies from [16], forest vegetation consumed by cuscus on Hariti Nabire Island consist of 3 dominant families namely Moraceae (3 species), Fabaceae (2 species) and Pandanaceae (1 species)and vegetation parts consumed vary consisting of 43% fruit, 24% leaf and 33% combined leaf and fruit. As for agricultural crops, which were commonly consumed were fruit and leaves. This was also in line with research conducted in the Pantai Utara area of Manokwari by [9] and [10], where of 34 species of forage vegetation found, 26 species were consumed and 6 other species were only consumed. Additionally it was reported by [6] in the North Biak Nature Reserve area that of the 57 species of feed vegetations found consumed by cuscus, most of the consumed parts were fruit, leaves and followed by flowers. Furthermore, the results of the research of [12], from 44 species of forest vegetation which were cuscus feed, generally consume vegetation parts in the form of young leaves 29 species (66%), fruit 26 species (59%), flowers 4 species (9%) and shoots 3 species (7%). [18], also stated that generally cuscus preferred fresh and tart fruits that were high in fiber and low in fat. Graphically it could be seen in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Percentage (%) of vegetation consumed by the cuscus
According to [25], the choice of feed species in marsupials was related to the morphological and histological structure of the gastrointestinal tract. And Hume (1999) in [12], also explained that some marsupials such as dasyurid had simple gastrointestinal tract and do not had appendicitis or caecum. This was the reason that in general cuscus prefers organs or parts of vegetations that were young as a source of food so that it was easily digested and absorbed in the digestive tract. Furthermore Hume (1982) in [12] also explained that the gastrointestinal tract in Trichosurus vulpecula (brushtail possum) was in the form of a simple stomach and had colon which acts as a fermentation cavity. The same thing was also explained by [14;17], that generally cuscus prefers feed that contains a lot of fiber that could be obtained from fruits young shoots and flowers. Further explained that if the cuscus did not consume food that lacked fiber, usually these animals would suffer from inflammation of the intestine that could cause death. The results of research [11] and [13], also proven only certain parts of each species of vegetation consumed by the eastern cuscus, such as young shoots, flowers, fruit (fruit skin and contents), and bark. The diversity of parts consumed by the eastern cuscus, due to the preferences of the cuscus, vegetative and generative periods which also vary from each species of growth at a certain time.

Conclusion
Species of vegetations for feeding the eastern cuscus were found on Yamna Island, 25 species consisting of 20 species of forest vegetations, and five (5) species of agricultural vegetations. Eastern cuscus consumed more ripe fruit at 45% than young shoots at 34%, flowers at 16% and mature seeds at 2% and young fruits at 3%. Eastern cuscus vegetation species that had the most widespread distribution and were found in several locations, namely Ficus sp. Based on the species vegetations as a cuscus feeding to helping for the future aspect of wildlife conservation.

Compliance with ethical standards
Acknowledgments A sincere thanks and appreciation goes to the village head, traditional leaders, religious leaders, elementary school teachers and the whole community on Yamna Island and the Yamna Team for their support and cooperation so that this research could be completed well.

Disclosure of conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication on this paper.

Statement of ethical approval
'The present research work does not contain any studies performed on animals/humans subjects by any of the authors'.

Statement of informed consent
"Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study."