PRESENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF RELICT LOXODONTA CYCLOTIS (AFRICAN FOREST ELEPHANT) POPULATIONS IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Loxodonta cyclotis (African forest elephant) populations in Nigeria are small, confronted with increasing habitat fragmentation and face a high risk of extirpation. This study was aimed at establishing the presence and determining the distribution of L. cyclotis populations in Omo Forest Reserve (OFR), Ogun State, Okomu National Park (ONP), Edo State and the Oban (CRNP_Ob) and Okwango (CRNP_Ok) Divisions of Cross River National Park (CRNP), Cross River State in Southern Nigeria. Interviews, direct field observations and recce surveys incorporating the ‘travel recce’ method were used for data collection. Direct sighting, camera trap footages, presence of poached carcass and signs of L. cyclotis activities verified the presence of L. cyclotis populations while field collated spatial information was used to create distribution maps in the study areas. This study established the presence of elephants in the study sites and the results provide valuable information which is useful as a tool to guide in the development of future management plans to assist in assessing the demographic changes over time, sensitise and to raise awareness of the plight of relict L. cyclotis populations in Southern Nigeria.