Habitat use and food habitats of a gecko population in a west African suburban area

1.The spatial and trophic ecology of Afrotropical gecko populations are poorly known. Here, we report ecological observations on Brook’s House Gecko (Hemidactylus angulatus), a widespread gekkonid species, in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology campus, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.2. A total of 488 gecko individuals were recorded during the present study, in two surveyed habitat types: (i) plantationm trees (PTH) and (ii) buildings (BDH). In PTH, they were observed in 13 out of 15 species of trees present in the study area, with their (log) frequency of sightings being positively correlated to the (log) frequency of surveyed trees per species.3. The geckos used substantially the non-native ornamental trees of the PTH habitat. Pinus ponderosa and Elaeis guineensis were significantly preferred by geckos over all the other tree species.4. Geckos also used frequently the buildings (BDH habitat) at the university campus. There was no correlation between (log) area of each building and (log) number of observed lizards.5. We collected faeces from 51 gecko individuals in dry season and 66 in wet season. There were no significant dietary differences between seasons, with Diptera and adult Lepidoptera dominating in the diet.6. Dietary habits of geckos differed significantly between habitat types, with Araneae and Lepidoptera (larvae) being eaten much more frequently in BDH, and in Coleoptera and Isopoda that were eaten much more frequently in PTH The diversity dietary metrics (Shannon and Dominance indices) were very similar either between seasons or between habitats.7. Our independent set of analyses (diet diversity metrics; contingency tables on taxonomic dietary composition and rank-abundance diagrams) showed that lizards exhibited a same feeding strategy in both wet and dry seasons as well as in the two habitat types, although the diet composition differed significantly between habitats.8. A “mixed” foraging strategy was apparently used by Hemidactylus angulatus at the study area, as also observed in other gekkonid species from elsewhere

Endo-Helminth Fauna of the Rainbow Lizard (Agama Agama)

This parasitological study was carried out between February and May 2019 to determine the prevalence and intensity of helminthiasis in the rainbow lizard (Agama agama) in Okrika, Rivers State, Nigeria. A total of one hundred and fifty-one (151) specimens made up of 93 males and 75 females were caught by a local netting system during the day and anaesthesized with chloroform. Samples were collected from two stations (Ogoloma-Ama and Oba-Ama). After dissection, the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, rectum, liver, lungs, urinary bladder, heart and body cavity were searched for helminths using conventional methods. Five species of helminths belonging to Nematoda - Strongyluris brevicaudata, Parapharyngodon awokoyai, encysted Ascaridida larva, Cestoda - Oochoristica sp. and Trematoda - Mesocoelium spp -  were recovered from infected lizards. Helminths infected one hundred and twenty-three (123) (82%) of the lizards. In Oba-Ama, forty-five (45) (76.3%) out of 59 and in Ogoloma-Ama, seventy-eight (78) (84.8%) out of 92 were infected with helminths. By abundance, in both locations, the males were more infected than their female counterparts with a prevalence of 51(93%) and 72(75%) (P<0.05), respectively. This study has revealed the helminth parasites infecting the agamid lizard of Rivers State, Nigeria. It has also shown some unidentified species of Mesocoelium and  Oochoristica sp. Additionally the trapping system used was also found to be effective and efficient

Structure and diversity of fish communities in man-made ponds of the Niger Delta (southern Nigeria)

1. A survey of eight local earthen hand-dug ponds located within the freshwater swamps of a Niger Delta area (southern Nigeria) was conducted over a period of 3 months. A total of 4,313 fishes representing 19 species from 12 families were recorded.2. The most abundant species was Xenomystus nigri (905 individuals), whereas the least common was Protopterus annectens (13). Cichlidae and Clariidae counted three species each, whereas Anabantidae, Hepsetidae, Mochokidae, Protopteridae, Phractolaemidae, Malapteruridae and Gymnarchidae were represented by a single species each.3. A lotic species, Synodontis sp., was recorded possibly as a result of the episodic flood of 2012.4. The Engenni swamps harbour a moderately diverse ichthyofauna. Regulations should be put in place to further enhance the fisheries potential of these local ponds

Exploring the main threats to the threatened African spurred tortoise Centrochelys sulcata in the West African Sahel

AbstractThe African spurred tortoiseCentrochelys sulcatais the second largest terrestrial turtle, with a scattered distribution across the West African Sahel. This species is threatened and declining consistently throughout its range, but little is known about the causes of its decline. It has been hypothesized that the decline is attributable to (1) competition with domestic cattle, (2) wildfire, and (3) the international pet trade. We conducted a series of analyses to investigate these three causes. Hypotheses 1 and 2 were analysed using a spatially explicit approach, using a database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and logistic regression modelling; hypothesis 3 was tested by analysing the CITES trade database for 1990–2010. We found a significant negative correlation between intensity of grazing (expressed as density of cattle, km−2) and the presence of spurred tortoises, and this negative effect increased when coupled with high fire intensity, whereas wildfires alone did not have a significant influence on the species' distribution at the global scale. There was a decrease in the annual export of wild individuals for the pet trade after the introduction of export quotas by country and by year, but trade data must be considered with caution

La viande de brousse : des enquêtes révèlent des points de controverse sur la dynamique de son commerce au Nigéria

Sur la base d’enquêtes dans le sud du Nigéria, cet article examine (i) si la viande de brousse est toujours une source cruciale de protéines pour les communautés locales, (ii) si elle est toujours culturellement bien justifiée et (iii) si, selon les préférences des consommateurs, des valeurs différentes sont attribuées aux divers types d’espèces constituant cette viande de brousse. De plus, cet article fournit des informations sur la question de savoir (iv) si le commerce de la viande de brousse épuise localement les populations des espèces ciblées, et (v) si la disparition sur les marchés de grands animaux est signe de leur extermination locale. Une combinaison d’entretiens avec des hommes et des femmes de différentes classes d’âge, incluant des chasseurs, consommateurs et vendeurs, a été conduite dans divers localités nigérianes correspondant à différentes conditions d’habitat et de caractéristiques socio-économiques et ethniques. Les résultats suggèrent que la consommation de viande de brousse, en particulier dans les zones urbaines, n’a pas une grande valeur de subsistance, sauf pour une petite sous-section de la communauté. De fait, même dans les zones rurales, moins de 30 % des personnes de moins de 50 ans interrogées ont répondu consommer fréquemment de la viande de brousse. L’importance culturelle de la viande de brousse a substantiellement diminué dans les années récentes, comme en témoigne le fait que (i) cette source de nourriture a été rapidement abandonnée durant la crise d’Ebola en 2014 et (ii) la plupart des personnes interrogées ont affirmé n’en manger que rarement voire pas du tout. Les données recueillies vont dans le sens de ce que le prix d’une carcasse serait principalement déterminé par la taille de l’animal et non pas par la préférence des consommateurs. L’utilisation et le commerce de la viande de brousse peuvent certainement épuiser localement les populations des espèces animales ciblées. Néanmoins, il n’y a toujours pas suffisamment de preuves empiriques de la notion selon laquelle quand les grands animaux disparaissent des marchés cela signifierait que leurs populations auraient été considérablement épuisées voire exterminées. De fait, sur la base d’éléments culturels exposés par les chasseurs interrogés, il semblerait que cette notion soit erronée, du moins en ce qui concerne les régions ouest-africaines les plus riches et les plus économiquement dynamiques. Il est conseillé à ceux qui étudient la viande de brousse d’explorer plus en profondeur la flexibilité culturelle des communautés humaines avant de généraliser des conclusions, évitant ainsi d’extrapoler à grande échelle des conclusions insuffisamment fondées car basées sur des données collectées à très petite échelle spatiale et durant de courtes périodes de temps.Using questionnaire surveys in southern Nigeria, this paper explores whether: (i) bushmeat is still a crucial source of animal protein for local communities; (ii) is still culturally very relevant; and (iii) if people value differently the various kinds of bushmeat species because of customer preferences. In addition, this paper provides information on whether (iv) the bushmeat trade locally depletes target game species; and (v) whether the disappearance of large animals from the markets would indicate their local extirpation from the wild. A combination of interviews was carried out with both men and women of different age classes including hunters, consumers and sellers, from different Nigerian locations with different habitat conditions, socio-economic and ethnic characteristics. Results of these interviews suggest that the consumption of bushmeat has little subsistence value, especially in urban areas, except for a small sub-section of the community. Indeed, even in rural areas less than 30 % of the interviewees of less than 50 years age answered that they frequently eat bushmeat. Cultural importance of bushmeat decreased substantially in recent years, as shown by that (i) this food source was quickly abandoned by people during the 2014 Ebola crisis, and (ii) most of questionnaire respondents affirmed that they would have eaten bushmeat only rarely or even not at all. There was support for the notion that the price of a carcass was mainly determined by the animal size and not by the consumer preference. Bushmeat utilization and trade may certainly deplete target animal species at the local scale. Nonetheless, there is still no sufficient empirical evidence for the notion that, when large animals disappeared from the markets, it meant that their populations were heavily depleted or even extinct. Indeed, based on cultural elements highlighted by interviewed hunters, there is evidence that this notion may be wrong, at least in the richest and economically more dynamic regions of West Africa. It is advised that bushmeat studies should explore more in depth the cultural flexibility of human communities before drawing generalized conclusions, thus avoiding unsupported large-scale conclusions based on data collected at a very small spatial scale and during short time periods

Nesting trees used by a pest bird (Village Weaver, Ploceus cucullatus): a large field survey suggests further human conflicts with local stakeholders in Southern Nigeria

The village weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) is a common colonial nesting bird widespread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. It is known to weave its nests from leaf strips from a variety of tree species (mainly coconuts trees, oil palm trees) associated with human settlement areas, grasses, and other available plants. In this regard, this bird was considered a pest for its impact on different economic activities. Although extensive literature is already available on the parasitic role of village weavers, there is still a lack of analytical data that outlines which tree species are used for nesting and in what proportion, as well as the related implications in terms of economic impacts. Here, we carried out the first comprehensive arrangement of trees used by this species for nesting in Southern Nigeria (West Africa), checking for possible different impacts on stakeholders. In April 2021, we searched for village weaver nesting in 95 sites in 77 communities from 24 local government areas in Southern Nigeria, during 14 field surveys. Within each site, we collected GPS coordinates and counted the number of active nests, nesting birds and occupied trees. We recorded a total of 5,776 nests and 2,140 birds in 94 plants belonging to 23 tree species selected for nesting. Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis; n = 45) was the most used tree species, as 2,990 (51.77%) nests and 873 (40.79%) birds were recorded. Our results indicate the preference for nesting on trees used by stakeholders belonging to agricultural (palm farmers), touristic (operators) and energy (gas flare stations) sectors with economic implications about the conflict with this pest species

Inter-seasonal and inter-habitat variations in the diet of the African fire skink, Lygosoma fernandi, from southern Nigeria

The inter-habitat and inter-seasonal variations in the taxonomic diet composition of the African fire skink, Lygosoma fernandi, one of the largest Scincidae of the Afrotropical regions, were studied by analysis of excrements collected from live individuals that were captured in some areas of the Niger Delta region, southern Nigeria. 22 prey types, mostly arthropods, were found in the diet of this species, with significant differences in prey composition between seasons. Isopoda and Coleoptera dominated in the dietary samples, with very few prey types exclusive of one habitat type and/or season (e. g. Formicidae in dry forest in both seasons and lizards in swamp forest in wet season). Overall, no difference between forest types and seasons was found as for diversity and evenness indices except for that prey diversity was higher in feces collected in the dry forest in dry season, whereas dominance and evenness did not show any significant variation across forest types

Rehashing bushmeat – interview campaigns reveal some controvrsia about the bushmeat trade dynamic in Nigeriain

Using questionnaire surveys in southern Nigeria, this paper explores whether : (i) bushmeat is still a crucial source of animal protein for local communities ; (ii) is still culturally very relevant ; and (iii) if people value differently the various kinds of bushmeat species because of customer preferences. In addition, this paper provides information on whether (iv) the bushmeat trade locally depletes target game species ; and (v) whether the disappearance of large animals from the markets would indicate their local extirpation from the wild. A combination of interviews was carried out with both men and women of different age classes including hunters, consumers and sellers, from different Nigerian locations with different habitat conditions, socio-economic and ethnic characteristics. Results of these interviews suggest that the consumption of bushmeat has little subsistence value, especially in urban areas, except for a small sub-section of the community. Indeed, even in rural areas less than 30 % of the interviewees of less than 50 years age answered that they frequently eat bushmeat. Cultural importance of bushmeat decreased substantially in recent years , as shown by that (i) this food source was quickly abandoned by people during the 2014 Ebola crisis, and (ii) most of questionnaire respondents affirmed that they would have eaten bushmeat only rarely or even not at all. There was support for the notion that the price of a carcass was mainly determined by the animal size and not by the consumer preference. Bushmeat utilization and trade may certainly deplete target animal species at the local scale. Nonetheless, there is still no sufficient empirical evidence for the notion that, when large animals disappeared from the markets, it meant that their populations were heavily depleted or even extinct. Indeed, based on cultural elements highlighted by interviewed hunters, there is evidence that this notion may be wrong, at least in the richest and economically more dynamic regions of West Africa. It is advised that bushmeat studies should explore more in depth the cultural flexibility of human communities before drawing generalized conclusions, thus avoiding unsupported large-scale conclusions based on data collected at a very small spatial scale and during short time periods.La viande de brousse : des enquêtes révèlent des points de controverse sur la dynamique de son commerce au Nigéria Sur la base d’enquêtes dans le sud du Nigéria, cet article examine (i) si la viande de brousse est toujours une source cruciale de protéines pour les communautés locales, (ii) si elle est toujours culturellement bien justifiée et (iii) si, selon les préférences des consommateurs, des valeurs différentes sont attribuées aux divers types d’espèces constituant cette viande de brousse. De plus, cet article fournit des informations sur la question de savoir (iv) si le commerce de la viande de brousse épuise localement les populations des espèces ciblées, et (v) si la disparition sur les marchés de grands animaux est signe de leur extermination locale. Une combinaison d’entretiens avec des hommes et des femmes de différentes classes d’âge, incluant des chasseurs, consommateurs et vendeurs, a été conduite dans divers localités nigérianes correspondant à différentes conditions d’habitat et de caractéristiques socio-économiques et ethniques. Les résultats suggèrent que la consommation de viande de brousse, en particulier dans les zones urbaines, n’a pas une grande valeur de subsistance, sauf pour une petite sous-section de la communauté. De fait, même dans les zones rurales, moins de 30 % des personnes de moins de 50 ans interrogées ont répondu consommer fréquemment de la viande de brousse. L’importance culturelle de la viande de brousse a substantiellement diminué dans les années récentes, comme en témoigne le fait que (i) cette source de nourriture a été rapidement abandonnée durant la crise d’Ebola en 2014 et (ii) la plupart des personnes interrogées ont affirmé n’en manger que rarement voire pas du tout. Les données recueillies vont dans le sens de ce que le prix d’une carcasse serait principalement déterminé par la taille de l’animal et non pas par la préférence des consommateurs. L’utilisation et le commerce de la viande de brousse peuvent certainement épuiser localement les populations des espèces animales ciblées. Néanmoins, il n’y a toujours pas suffisamment de preuves empiriques de la notion selon laquelle quand les grands animaux disparaissent des marchés cela signifierait que leurs populations auraient été considérablement épuisées voire exterminées. De fait, sur la base d’éléments culturels exposés par les chasseurs interrogés, il semblerait que cette notion soit erronée, du moins en ce qui concerne les régions ouest-africaines les plus riches et les plus économiquement dynamiques. Il est conseillé à ceux qui étudient la viande de brousse d ’ explorer plus en profondeur la flexibilité culturelle des communautés humaines avant de généraliser des conclusions, évitant ainsi d’extrapoler à grande échelle des conclusions insuffisamment fondées car basées sur des données collectées à très petite échelle spatiale et durant de courtes périodes de temps.Luiselli Luca, Petrozzi Fabio, Akani Godfrey C., Di Vittorio Massimiliano, Amadi Nioking, Ebere Nwabueze, Dendi Daniele, Amori Giovanni, Eniang Edem A. Rehashing bushmeat – interview campaigns reveal some controvrsia about the bushmeat trade dynamic in Nigeriain. In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 72, n°1, 2017. pp. 3-18

Structure and diversity of fish communities in man-made ponds of the Niger Delta (southern Nigeria)

1. A survey of eight local earthen hand-dug ponds located within the freshwater swamps of a Niger Delta area (southern Nigeria) was conducted over a period of 3 months. A total of 4,313 fishes representing 19 species from 12 families were recorded