Estimates of Demidoff's galago ( Galagoides demidovii ) density and abundance in a changing landscape in the Oban hills, Nigeria

Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy

article

James Kehinde Omifolaji¹  Emmanuel Tersea Ikyaagba³  Abideen Abiodun Alarape⁴  Victor Abiodun Ojo⁵  Mala Modu⁵  Lewiska Funmilayo Lateef⁴  Muhammed Adewole Adeyemi⁶  Shahid Ahmad¹  Xiaofeng Luan¹ 

[1] School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University;Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Federal University;Department of Social and Environmental Forestry, University of Agriculture;Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism, University of Ibadan;Department of Forestry and Wildlife, University of Maiduguri;Department of Forestry and Wildlife, Nnamdi Azikiwe University

关键词: density;    land use;    habitats;    galago;    nocturnal primates;    Oban sector;   

DOI  :  10.4404/hystrix-00342-2020

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Associazione Teriologica Italiana

【 摘 要 】

Galagos are one of the understudied family of nocturnal primates which inhabit much of SubSaharan Africa, some of which are potentially at risk of habitat loss due to deforestation. Therainforests of West Africa are home to six species of Lorisoidea; however, this habitat is under threatfrom an increasing human population and anthropogenic activities land conversion for agriculture,amongst other pressures. This study assessed the distribution of Demidoffs galago under differentland use pattern in Oban sector of Cross River National Park. Line transect methods were usedto estimate the density of Demidoffs galago in a human-influenced forest and an otherwise similarand relatively undisturbed forest. Galagos are mostly observed in canopy forest, secondary forestand farm fallow with a total number of 27, 21, and 14 sightings respectively after survey effortsof 72 km. The encounter rates for the three habitats were 0.56 km−1, 0.35 km−1and 0.23 km−1forclose canopy forest, secondary forest and farm fallow respectively. Close canopy forest habitathas the highest estimated density of about 0.24 km2. The estimated density of secondary foresthabitat is approximately 0.23 km2. The proportion of total sighting of the species across the habitatsvaried from 43.55% in the close canopy forest habitat, 33.87% in secondary forest habitat and22.58% in the farm-fallow habitat. The result indicates that the Demidoffs galagos density wassignificantly lower in farm fallow habitats (n=14, df=2, F=2.26, p=0.009) compared to close canopyforest (n=27, df=2, F=7.616 p=0.999). Higher population density and encounter rate observed inthe close-canopy forest may be due to less habitat disturbance and less susceptible to populationdecline. It is, however, necessary to maintain the environment in its present state and to continuepopulation monitoring over an extended period.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC