During dry seasons, hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius L.) were observed to forage on aquatic vegetation on the plains of Lake Rutanzige in Virunga National Park (VNP), Za'ire. Crude protein content of the aquatic vegetation, as well as from plants collected at drier sites, were determined. During the dry seasons of 1989, grasses did not yield adequate levels of crude protein to sustain a hippo except for Panicum repens. Although aquatic vegetation may not be well suited to hippos' foraging behavior, they were obliged to feed on it. Our observations suggest that the hippo population of VNP may be growing beyond the carrying capacity of the parkland during the dry seasons.Resume. -Pendant les Saisons seches de 1989, nous avons observe des hippopotames (Hippopotamus amphibius L.) qui se nourrissaient de la vegetation aquatique dans les plaines du lac Rutanzige dans le Pare National des Virunga (PNV) au Zaire. Le contenu proteique de quelques plantes aquatiques et de quelques plantes colleclees a des endroits plus sees a etc dose chimiquement. Nous avons trouve que pendant les saisons seches, ä exception de Panicum repens, les graminees qui constituaient le fourrage des hippopotames ne contenaient pas de proteines en proportion süffisante pour entretenir un hippopotame. Bien que cette vegetation aquatique ne soit pas adaptee au comportement alimentaire des hippopotames, ces grands ongules sont obliges de s'en nourrir. Nos observations suggerent que, pendant la saison seche, la population d'hippopotames du PNV depasse la capacite de charge de son päturage.A large population of hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) occurs in Virunga National Park (VNP), Zaire, in the plains surrounding Lake Rutanzige (formerly Lake Edward), its tributary rivers (Ishasha, Rutshuru, and Rwindi), and its outlet river (Semliki). Hippos rest submerged during the day in these rivers, the shallow waters of Lake Rutanzige, and transient wallows and ponds such as Cabuganga, Kikere, and Kizi (Delvingt 1978). Hippos' use of aquatic habitats is primarily Mammalia, t. 56, n° 3, 1992.
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