Population status and distribution of forest elephants (<i>Loxodonta cyclotis</i> Matschie, 1900) in Okomu National Park and Omo Forest Reserve, South-Western Nigeria

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the population status and distribution of forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis Matschie, 1900) in Okomu National Park (ONP) and Omo Forest Reserve (OFR), Nigeria. The Line Transect Survey Method, footprints analysis, trail cameras and in-depth discussion were used for data collection spanning between April 2015 and March 2016. Elephant densities were computed as described by Barnes and Jensen (1987), while the estimate of elephant numbers was extrapolated from the footprints diameter data. A mean density of 0.15 elephants/km² was obtained for the rainy season in ONP, while it was 0.08 elephants/km² during the dry season. In OFR, mean density was 0.14 elephants/km² for the rainy season, while it was 0.06 elephants/km² during the dry season. The estimate of elephant numbers revealed a total of 33 elephants comprising 24 adults (72.73%) and nine young ones (27.27%) in ONP. On the other hand, OFR support about 28 elephants consisting of 22 (78.57) adults and six young ones (21.43). Elephants were more randomly distributed during the rainy season than the dry season in the two study sites. However, within the two sites, the animals were restricted to few areas of the forest complex. The main factors contributing to the distribution of elephants in the study area are water and food availability, human disturbance and settlement camps. With the continued habitat alteration and anthropogenic pressure, especially in OFR, the population status of elephants remains a matter of significant concern.

Keywords: forest elephants, dung counts, footprints analysis, population status, Nigeria