Habitat assessment of aardvark (<i>Orycteropus afer</i>) in Kainji Lake National Park, Nigeria

Abstract

Vegetation structures have been used to describe the habitat of wildlife species. Therefore, the assessment of the habitat of Aardvarks is very strategic to  its conservation. Using field observational methods, the Global Positioning System, and the assistance of experienced Park rangers, this study located the  Aardvark burrows to map out their coordinates. Two tracks were purposively selected based on a reconnaissance survey. Animal activities, inventory,  size, the distance between burrows, number of active and abandoned burrows were recorded. Four borrows were randomly sampled using a 50 m x 50 m  plot to identify trees and shrub species on each plot and a 10 m x 10 m plot was used to identify grass species. Soil samples were collected and  analyzed. Overall, 12 (35%) active and 22 (65%) inactive burrows were identified. The average circumference of the burrows on the tracks was 2 m and the  average distance from one burrow to another in the same area was 10 m. The wild animals associated with the burrows were Agama Lizard (Agama  aculeate), and the cane rat (Thrynomyms swinderianus). Also, the dominant tree species enumerated within their habitat include Burkea africana, Ficus  thonnigii, while the dominant shrub species were Grewia molle, and Securidata longipendiculata. Furthermore, Andropogon gayanus and Pennisetum  purperium were the predominant grass species. The soil types from the burrow extract were mostly sandy/loamy. The study observed that Aardvarks  prefer mixed woodland vegetation, on sandy/loamy soil as their habitat in Kainji Lake National Park. This habitat type must be maintained so that the   existing population can thrive in the study area.