Assessment of Vegetation Structure of the African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) Habitat in Kainji Lake National Park, Nigeria

The study assessed the relative abundance and vegetation structure of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) including plant parameters: frequency, diameter at breast height (dbh), tree height, diversity, evenness, richness, Margalef, dominance in Kainji Lake National Park. Point – Centered Quarter method was used for woody species enumeration. A total of twenty-eight (28) randomly sampled plots of 150m by 100m given 112 points per plot were established in the study area. The abundance and distribution, tree frequencies, heights, dbh and plant biodiversity indices were calculated using the Paleontological Statistics Software (PAST) for scientific data analysis. The results revealed that relative abundance of African buffalo in both morning and evening of dry and wet seasons in various habitats of the Park were 13.33 ± 4.41 and 11.33 ± 4.40 respectively. The study showed the highest mean value of 21.75 ± 6.94 representing 87 individuals in dry season compared to wet season with mean value of 15.25 ± 5.11 representing 61 individuals. A total of 91 woody plant species and 29 tree families were recorded in African buffalo habitats representing 80, 77, 68 and 59 tree species respectively. The highest average girth size of tree species was class between >10cm -50cm with 59.14 ± 4.06 and the highest mean tree height was height class of >3 - 10m with 91.43 ± 5.44. There were significant differences at (p<0.05) between the values of dbh, tree height, diversity, richness and evenness of plant species recorded in different habitats studied in the Park

Conservation Status and Habitat Preferences of Common Warthog (Phacochoerus Africanus) in Old Oyo National Park, Nigeria

This study assessed the conservation status and habitat preference of Common warthog in Old Oyo National Park, Nigeria using direct sighting and line transect method. The abundance estimate and encounter rate of common Warthog in the study area from 2018-2019 showed that year 2018 recorded 213 individuals at an encounter rate of 0.38/km while year 2019 recorded 184 individuals at an encounter rate of 0.32/km while the mean abundance estimate of common Warthog are 4.65±0.64 and 1.71±0.48 which represents 156 and 58 individuals at encounter rate of 0.55/km and 0.20/km in the wet season and dry season of year 2018 compared to year 2019 with average abundance estimate value of 4.00±0.85 and 1.41±0.61 which represents 135 and 48 individuals at an encounter rate of 0.47/km and 0.17/km for wet and dry season respectively. The mean age structure and sex ratio of the observed warthog population during dry and wet seasons revealed that juveniles had highest mean of age structures among the populations observed across the seasons. The habitat preference of common warthog revealed that they are mostly found in mixed woodland and open savanna with 112 observation and the lowest was recorded in the outcrop vegetation and open savanna with 21 individuals.in the wet season. During the dry season, mixed woodland/open savanna and Riparian grassland had the highest sightings of 45 and 33 individuals each. The outcrop vegetation/open savanna had the lowest observation of 1 individuals only. The study also recommends that more aspect of the ecology of the animal should be studied in details and emphasis should be placed on the habitat requirements. Keywords: Conservation, Estimate, Status, Wartho

Pattern and extent of threats to African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in Kainji Lake and Okomu National Parks in Nigeria

The study investigated the type, pattern and magnitude of threat factors in Kainji Lake and Okomu  National Parks, Nigeria. Field Practical observation and socioeconomic data were adopted for the present study. A total of 60 and 42 field officers from the two Parks were interviewed. Seventeen potential threats that causes Syncerus caffer population decline were identified during the field work and eleven major threats through socioeconomic data. The most dangerous threat includes: shortage of fund, illegal grazing, illegal hunting and illegal cutting of trees. The study indicates that Syncerus cafferi are at risk and, that threats vary based on the ecological zone. Kainji Lake National Park was highly subjected to livestock grazing and hunting while Okomu National Park was prone to illegal cutting of trees. The Kruskal – Wallis test showed that, for both PASI and PARTI, threat scores were higher in both Parks (PASI - r (4) = 0.93, P = 0.0052, PARTI – r = 11.39, P = 0.0021. Multi-sectorial approach and support zone community involvement, are key factors to manage national parks effectively and to reduce prevalent anthropogenic activities resulting to population decline of Syncerus caffer in their habitats