Socio-economic impact of wildlife management of Pandam Wildlife Park in Quapan Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study on socio-economic impact of wildlife management of Pandam Wildlife Park was conducted in four communities surrounding Pandam Wildlife Park and Socio-economic characteristics of the surrounding communities were examined through the use of questionnaires and interview. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis, using frequency and percentage distribution. The study reveals that majority of the respondent engage in farming activities including the park staffs that earn monthly income from the park 28.27% of the farms are located 1 – 5km away from the park and 33.8% of whom have cases of damaged farms by wild animals. The analysis also reveals that 41.2% of the women involved in marketing and preservation of bush meat, fish and the farm produce. The result also observed that Wildlife Park provides people in the area with social amenities such as road network, hospital among others and 80.0% of the respondent admitted that there is no spiritual site within the park while 18.8% used Pandam lake as a spiritual site.