Decaying Raphia farinifera Palm Trees Provide a Source of Sodium for Wild Chimpanzees in the Budongo Forest, Uganda
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Date
2009
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
PloSone
Abstract
For some years, chimpanzees have been observed eating the pith of decaying palm trees of Raphia farinifera in the
Budongo Forest, Uganda. The reasons for doing this have until now been unknown. An analysis of the pith for mineral
content showed high levels of sodium to be present in the samples. By contrast, lower levels were found in bark of other
tree species, and also in leaf and fruit samples eaten by chimpanzees. The differences between the Raphia samples and the
non-Raphia samples were highly significant (p,0.001). It is concluded that Raphia provides a rich and possibly essential
source of sodium for the Budongo chimpanzees. Comparison of a chewed sample (wadge) of Raphia pith with a sample
from the tree showed a clear reduction in sodium content in the chewed sample. Black and white colobus monkeys in
Budongo Forest also feed on the pith of Raphia. At present, the survival of Raphia palms in Budongo Forest is threatened by
the use of this tree by local tobacco farmers.
Description
Keywords
Decaying Raphia farinifera Palm Trees, Sodium, Wild Chimpanzees, Budongo Forest, Uganda
Citation
Reynolds V, Lloyd AW, Babweteera F, English CJ (2009) Decaying Raphia farinifera Palm Trees Provide a Source of Sodium for Wild Chimpanzees in the Budongo Forest, Uganda. PLoS ONE 4(7): e6194. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006194