TITLE:
Mammal Species Composition in Ini Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Abraham Adebayo Adewumi, Albert Jeremiah Udo, Gbolagade Akeem Lameed
KEYWORDS:
Habitat, Ini LGA, Mammal, Wildlife Conservation, Species
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Resources,
Vol.13 No.9,
September
29,
2022
ABSTRACT: Ini Local Government Area (ILGA) is the home of biodiversity, rich in
many species of fauna and flora. However, anthropogenic activities carried out
by the inhabitants of this area have been a threat to the ecosystem, thereby
exterminating the wildlife resources. The data for this study were collected
from in-depth interviews with hunters, bushmeat markets, bushmeat sellers,
indirect and direct wildlife survey methods, and a semi-structured
questionnaire was employed for the household survey. A multiple sampling
technique was adopted. A stratified random sampling technique was utilized to
stratify the study area into six strata (clans). A proportional sampling
technique was used to select 11 villages. In contrast, 60 household heads were
randomly selected for questionnaire administration. The study revealed
seventeen (17) species of mammal, which accounted for four orders, with
Rodentia being the highest (47%). Most species (94%) had the conservation
status of Least Concern (LC) based on the
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Furthermore, illegal hunting and
deforestation for agriculture and infrastructural development in the area have
led to the loss of wildlife habitats. Thus, a great need for conservation and management practices to protect these
vulnerable mammals and their habitats
is needed. Hunting laws, afforestation, and reforestation programs
should be implemented.