Wild animal-crop raiding conflict: A case study of old Oyo national park, Nigeria

Abstract

The study focused on the assessment of crop raiding activities in community’s adjacent Old Oyo National Park, Nigeria. The study identify the pecies of wild animals that raid farms, farm produce that were affected in the area, seasons such activities occurred and level of destruction to farm products in the study area . Stratified sampling technique was used to select Marguba and Tede ranges out of the five ranges at OONP due to the prevalence of agricultural practices and crop damage. Furthermore, twelve communities were selected purposively based on their proximity to park boundary i.e. communities that fell within 20km distance away from the park buffer zone. Non probability snowballing method was used in the selection of the respondents. A total of 60 copies of questionnaires were administered to farmers in villages at Marguba Range while 170 copies of questionnaires were administered to farmers in villages at Tede Range. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Input-Output Ratio Model. The findings from this study revealed that Erythrocebus patas and Sus scrofa were the prominent crop raiders with occurrences ranging from 44.3% and 31.7%. Also, an average of N1141251 111078, N1995640 104967, N902500 38456, N40000, N6500 3250, losses worth of Yam, Maize, Cassava, Tomato, Pepper respectively were incurred by famers due to crop raiding activities by wild animal in the study area. Due to the emergence of conflicts resulting from crop raiding activities in communities adjacent Old Oyo National Park, the government and all conservation associated stakeholders should foster efforts together to ensure that compensation schemes are been put in place to address the losses incurred by the affected farmers before they start taking laws into their own hands.

Keywords: Natural habitat, Conservation, Wildlife, Antagonistic and Attitude