Population composition and density of Mona monkey in Lekki Concervation Centre, Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

The mona monkey (Cercopitecus mona) is the only non-human primate in Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), a 78 hectares Strict Nature Reserve  located in a peri-urban part of Lagos, Nigeria. This study aimed to of population composition and density of mona monkeys in LCC. Total count  method using woods walk ways and perimeter road as line transects was used for the enumeration. The censuses were conducted for 27 days in October, November, and December, 2018. Counts were carried out between 06:30 and 10:30 hours for 22 days, and between 16:30 and 19:00 hours for five days. Monkeys were enumerated by counting all sighted individuals on both sides of the walk ways, and other study points. Data was  subjected to analysis of variance to compare the monthly means, and statistically significant means (P < 0.05) were separated using Tukey post hoc test. A total of 3.65 km was walked and 333 monkeys in 12 troops were enumerated. There were 11 alpha males, 61 adult females, 77 adult males, 163 juveniles, and 21 infants. The highest troop size was 32.75 ± 4.11; the lowest was 0.20 ± 0.42, while the population density was 4.27/km2. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in number of individuals in troops T4, T6, T8, and Nature Station. With such a viable population within the isolated forest area of LCC, regular census of the monkeys is recommended to establish its carrying capacity and sustainable harvesting of the species.

Keywords: Carrying capacity, Lekki Conservation Centre, mona monkeys, population composition, population density