Assessment of the Population of Wild Ruminants in a Fragmented Forest Habitat: Case Study of Abayum Forest, Ikom Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

Aims: To study the effect of forest fragmentation on population density and species diversity of wild ruminants in Abayum forest. Study Design: Stratified random sampling for the fragments and simple random sampling for interview of hunters. Place and Duration of Study: Abayum forest, Cross River State, Nigeria. (Latitude 6.00° and 6.15°N and longitude 8.30° and 8.45°E of Green which Meridian). Data on forest fragmentation was collected for a seven year period (2000 to 2007) while data on the population of wild ruminants was collected in two seasons (rainy season and dry season) for one year between March 2010 and April 2011. Methodology: A random sample of 14 fragments representing 35% sampling intensity was carried out. Number of fragments over a seven year period, size of fragments and their corresponding population of wild ruminants were investigated. Interview of 50 randomly selected hunters in the area was conducted. The fragments were grouped into three viz: 1st, 2nd and 3rd order and samples randomly taken from each. Wildlife population census was carried out through indirect methods such as animal droppings, traits or tracts, feeding habitats and noise. Results: The number of fragments increased at the rate of 87.5% in 7 years or 12.5% per annum. Human activities such as permanent crop cultivation, settlement, bush burning and logging were the main causes of forest fragmentation. Correlation of the population density of wild ruminants with fragment sizes gave r = 0.375 in duikers, r = 0.611 in other antelopes and r = 0.649 in bushbucks. Conclusion: Fragment size determined the population of big wild ruminants. Other factors such as hunting pressure, bush burning and farming also contributed in the determination of the population of ruminants in any fragment. Recommendation: It was recommended that the Cross River State Forestry Commission should be well funded to enforce the anti-deforestation law of Cross River State thus reducing forest fragmentation. Farmers in the area should be taught to adopt intensive farming and agro-forestry systems rather than the shifting cultivation method they practice presently, to help conserve the remaining forest fragments.