Preliminary study on some aspect of the ecology of Cercopithecus erythrogaster pococki (Grubb, Lernould and Oates, 2000) in Okomu National Park, Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The is a preliminary study on some aspect of the ecology of Cercopithecus erythrogaster pococki, the Nigerian white throated monkey. The study area was divided into three partitions; the forest reserve, the agro-forest and the oil palm / rubber plantation which are the three distinct habitat types in the area for adequate accessibility and count. Using partition count, the distribution and abundance of the Cercopithecus erythrogaster pococki were examined in 2019 with reference to the vegetation types in the Okomu National Park and environs (boundary). Using one-way analysis, Duncan at 95% confident interval, the distribution of C. erythrogaster pococki between the three partition was significantly different from each other and the number within each group. The homogeneity of variation shows that the distribution of C. erythrogaster within the forest compartment has a significant difference (p<0.05), while within the plantation showed no significant difference of distribution. It was observed that C. e. pococki do not have a specific migratory route but move in troops in association with Mona monkeys (C. mona) and red capped Mangabey monkey (Cercocebustor quatustor quatus) in the direction of fruiting plants.