PALATABILITAS KUPU-KUPU (LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE DAN PAPILIONIDAE) SEBAGAI PAKAN Tarsius fuscus DI PENANGKARAN

Tarsius fuscus is an endemic animal of Sulawesi. It is a nocturnal primate, consuming insects in its natural habitat. However, palatability of Nymphalidae and Papilionidae butterflies families as the feed of Tarsius fuscus is unknown. The butterflies are available abundantly around the Tarsius’ captivity in the natural habitat of Tarsius fuscus, therefore they are a potential natural feeding for Tarsius fuscus. This study aims to determine the palatability of Nymphalidae and Papilionidae butterflies families as the feed for Tarsius fuscus. This information is important to provide natural feeding for Tarsius fuscus, to avoid the dependence of Tarsius fuscus on grasshopper feed in captivity. The palatability treatment used was free choice feeding methods. The diet was given adlibitum. The results showed that 12 species of butterflies from Nymphalidae family and 9 species of
butterflies from the Papilionidae family were palatable for the feed of Tarsius fuscus