Identification of the Origin of Domesticated Red Jungle Fowl by the Community in Bengkulu Province, Indonesia

Abstract

Red jungle fowl is one of the important species that has the function of ecology, economy, and aesthetics. The red jungle fowl and their offsprings have an important role for rural communities. The communities in Bengkulu Province had done a domestication of the red jungle fowl. Until now, the conservation of the red jungle fowl in a community was not much studied. This study aimed to identify informations about the origin of the red jungle fowl breeds, the origin of purchase of breeds, the equipment used for hunting and the breeds purity. Respondents selection was conducted by using a snowball sampling method. The data were obtained from the breeders selected as respondents by using a combination of in-depth interviews, questionnaires and a direct observation. The results showed that 62.27% respondents obtained the breeds from buying, 11.98% from hunting, 11.38% from conferral, 13.77% from buying and hunting, and 0.60% from buying and conferral. From respondents who did the breeds buying, 77.88% respondents bought the red jungle fowl from the breeders, 22.12% bought from hunters. Breeds were purchased by the respondent were 0.96% hens, 72.12% cocks, 3.84% chiks, 22.12% hens/cocks, and 0.96% hens/cocks/chicks. Hunting activities were undertaken by 11.98% respondents, while 88.02% did not practice hunting activities. Respondents who did hunting activities, 10% used a net, 25% racit equipment, 15% trap and 50% used a combination of net and racit. Breeds obtained by respondents, 23.95% the red jungle fowl, 67.67% offsprings and 8.38% the red jungle fowl and offsprings. The origins of the red jungle fowl obtained from nature by hunting and from the community by buying and conferral.