Utilization of tortoise (Chelonoides Nigra, Quoy and Gaimard, 1824) in five selected communities in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

Chelonoidis nigra is threatened, but the utilization pattern and efforts to change the conservation status in its natural home range is yet to be recommended. Utilization of tortoise in selected communities in Udu  LocalGovernment Area was therefore carried out with the aim of investigating the various ways tortoise  is being utilized, factors militating against the availability of tortoise, various methods of procuring  tortoise, the perceived population dynamics, and to determine the association between age and  occupation with utilization and procurement in the study area. Structured questionnaire, field  observations and in-depth interview were used for the study in five randomly selected communities. A set of questionnaire was administered at random to 50% of household representatives of selected  communities in the study area. A total of 124 respondents were sampled and the data collected were  analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi square. The study revealed that Chelonoidis nigra is popular in the study area and it is mostly utilized as food and therefore hunted for sale as a source of income for families. Majority of the respondents (90.32%) hunt tortoise, few respondents (7.26%) buy without hunting and only 2.42% buy and hunt. Factors’ militating against the availability of tortoise in the study area includes the seasonal nature of tortoise (35%) and weather (65%) including the high level of rainfall as a result of global warming which made the forests flooded thereby reducing the procurement of tortoise and extending the months of the species availability to October . Chi square tests revealed that age (X² = 27.896) and occupation (X2 =101.75) are associated (p<0.05) with the utilization and procurement of tortoise respectively. Most respondents perceived that tortoise is not as many as it used to be in the  study area. In view of the roles played by tortoise in the study area, there is therefore need for its  conservation to ensure sustainability in the utilization.

Keywords: Tortoise, Biodiversity utilization, Delta State, Poverty alleviation