Threats to wildlife and their utilizable products in the Cross River Rainforest, Nigeria

Abstract

The study of the threats to wildlife, preference and their utilization was carried out in randomly selected rainforest enclaves of Cross River State. The enclaves are Okwangwo, Wula, Idomi and Oban. Methods used for data collection include use of semi – structured questionnaire, oral interview and field observation. It was observed that the relic forest harbored more species of wildlife than the bush fallows and cultivated areas while the major threats to wildlife in the study sites include increasing human population, unsustainable farming and hunting practices, high prices of bush meat among others. Apart from food, wildlife has cultural and ethno - zoological values, causing increase in hunting intensity in the rainforest communities. The study also revealed that wild rodents are highly, preferred to other wildlife species in the study sites. It is recommended that wildlife domestication programme be initiated in the area to discourage over exploitation of preferred species while wildlife management committees be set up in these rainforest enclaves to monitor the harvest of wildlife species.

Keywords: wild life, rainforest

Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and the Social Sciences Vol 3(1) 2005: 59-68