Evaluation of Wild Animal Species Hunted In Selected Communities around Old Oyo National Park, Nigeria

Abstract

There is need to have an up to date information on the wild animal species hunted in Old Oyo National Park and other Parks in Nigeria. Such record will form the basis for the development of appropriate intervention programmes and subsequent policy guidelines. Therefore, this research work evaluates wild animal species hunted in selected communities around Old Oyo National Park, Nigeria using standard method. The finding revealed fifteen (15) wild animals belonging to different species of wild animals that are hunted as bush meat. The reasons and season of hunting revealed that income generation is the major purpose of hunting with 72.6%. Dry season recorded the highest period of hunting with 61.3%, followed by both season with 26.4% and wet season recorded the least with 12.3%.  The rate of poaching activities of wild fauna indicated that medium recorded the highest with 55.7%, followed by high with 31.1% while low recorded the least with 13.2%. The suggested possible solutions to reduce hunting wildlife species showed that provision of alternate source of livelihood recorded the highest (24.5%), followed by increased anti-poaching with 22.6% while translocation are the least with 1.9%. The study concludes that that fifteen (15) wild animal species are hunted in the study area for income and consumption purpose.