POPULATION STATUS, FEEDING ECOLOGY AND ACTIVITIES OF SELECTED PRIMATE SPECIES IN KAINJI LAKE NATIONAL PARK, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study assessed the population status, habitat preference, food resources, anthropogenic threats and activities of selected primates’ species in the park and around some support zones communities of the study areas from 2017 to 2019. Data collection involved wildlife counts, of direct and indirect methods for primates’ population. A 6km transects in the six ranges each was used, carefully taking records of numbers of individuals, sighting and perpendicular distances, group size, species, sex and age structure, activities when sighted, food fed upon by the animals. Habitat preferences were established by taking total enumeration on the dominant vegetation composition, using a total of twelve plots of (50m x 50m) purposively selected within the vegetation types in the park where these primates were sighted. Two plots each were laid in the six ranges. In each plot, trees species were identified, scientific names of all trees species with a height of >2 metres and diameter at breast height (Dbh) of trees species encountered in each plots were recorded. The diversity index was used to determine the richness of various species and to compare their occurrence in the study areas. Records of anthropogenic activities within the ranges of twenty years from 1997-2017 were obtained from the Park Ecology and Resource Management unit. Human activities were categorized into seven types, these activities were observed on the primate habitats, park buffer zones and even along park boundaries were recorded and processed into frequency counts and described using table. Data were collected from communities through the method of Focus Group Discussion using an unstructured interview ranging between 7-10 individuals comprises of farmers, hunters and community heads who were selected based on their occupation, position of influence and knowledge on the issues relating to the species of primates as key informants. Questions were asked to ascertain their activities in there various farms and communities in the support zones. The sample population of the study was people in the local communities within the distance of 0-5km from each study site boundaries. Three communities each in the two sectors of the park were selected randomly from the total number of thirty communities that falls within the study range i.e. 10% of the sample communities was used. The results revealed that Papio anubis has the highest mean abundance (19 ± 0), population density (0.042 ± 0.000) and relative abundance of (6 ± 0) at Oli range and the species was not observed in the two ranges of Zugurma sector of the park. Erythrocebus patas has the highest mean abundance (7 ± 0), population density (0.006 ± 0.001) and relative abundance of (2 ± 0) at Doro range and the least mean abundance (0), population density (0.015 ± 0.000) and relative abundance of (0) at Oli range. Chlorocebus aethiops tantalus has the highest mean abundance (6 ± 1), population density (0.014 ± 0.002) and relative abundance of (2 ± 0) at Oli range and the least mean abundance (3 ± 0), population density (0.008 ± 0.001) and relative abundance of (1 ± 0) at Doro range. Sex structure showed that there was more female Papio anubis, Erythrocebus patas and Chlorocebus aethiops tantalus than the male counterpart. Papio anubis has a total of six individual groups in Borgu sector, with the highest group consisting of thirty nine individuals. Erythrocebus patas has a total of ten individuals groups with the highest group consisting of twenty seven individuals. Chlorocebus aethiops tantalus has a total of nine groups. The highest group consists of twenty eight individuals. Twenty eight species of plant belonging to seventeen families were observed in the two ranges of Zugurma sector of the park. The dominant family in Zugurma sector was the Caesalpinioideae. Shannon wiener’s index (2.731), Evenness (0.5479), Margalef’s (4.807) Simpson indexes (0.9121) were high. A total of twenty nine plant species identified belonging to seventeen families in the Oli and Doro ranges. The dominant family in both Doro and Oli ranges were the Combretaceae. Shannon wiener’s index (3.272), Evenness (0.9093), Margalef’s (7.121) Simpson indexes (0.9589) were high. Forty six plant species were observed belonging to twenty one families in the Kali and Worumakoto ranges of Borgu sector of the park. The dominant family in both Kali and Worumakoto ranges were the Caesalpinioideae. It was observed that Shannon wiener’s index (3.045), Evenness (0.8361), Simpson indexes (0.9841) were high. The Shannon Weiner and Shannon equitability indices were within the general limits of (1.5-3.5) for healthy forests. Most of these plants species also served as food, cover and shelter for primates in the ranges. Acacia/Combretum woodland was the established habitat in Oli range with highest population of Olive Baboon and Tantalus Monkey. Detarium/Combretum woodland was the established habitat in Doro range with highest population of Red Patas Monkey. Wet season food resources available is 68.2% plant species belonging to fourteen families were identified while dry season food resources available is 31.8% plant species belonging to five families were identified. Cattle grazing were observed highest occurring anthropogenic activities in all the ranges while mining was the least activities of man in all the ranges. Farmers in both sector reported agricultural, social and economic impacts due to primates’ crop raiding activities on their farms, no diseases transmission from these non-human primates to human. Improvement on protective strategies of