Pola Asuh Induk Terhadap Anak Gajah (Elephas Maximus Sumatranus) pada Aktivitas Nokturnal di Taman Nasional Gunung Leuser Resort Tangkahan, Langkat, Sumatera Utara

Abstract

The Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) is one of Indonesia's fauna. Parenting pattern is needed to form characterization of the elephant and carried out at juvenile stage because at that time the elephant calf is absorbing all the behavior of the mother and other elephants in the group. Even on nocturnal activity, elephants has the ability to hear, smell and also has special adaptations to carry out its behavior of the conditions which have little natural light from 2 hours before dusk to 2 hours before dawn. Behavior in elephants is divided into individual, social, group behavior also daily behavior. This research was conducted to determine the benefits of parental care to the elephant mothers and the calves during nocturnal activities for researchers, related agencies, namely, TNGL Resort Tangkahan, North Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), as a consideration to elephant conservation management. The subjects of this research consisted of two elephants, name Sari (47 years old, female parent) and Boni (2 years old, male off spring). The methods used were identified the focal animal sampling and by doing continuous recording. The research location was at CRU Tangkahan. Observations were carried out for 84 hours. The observation showed of 5639 behavioral observation points on the mother elephants and 5117 behavioral observation points on the calf with a total duration of observation was 5040 minutes per individual. The highest nocturnal activities of the two elephants was the grooming behavior of Sari (36.5%) and Boni (22.07%), the eating behavior of Sari (22.71%) and Boni (24.5%),following by the playing behavior of Sari (5.24%) and the lest behavior was Boni (11.80) resting behavior in Sari (12.51%) and Boni (22.3%).