Intl. J. of Mol. Ecol. and Conserv. 2012, Vol. 2, No.4, 21-25
23
Descriptive statistics such as frequency tables,
percentages and bar chart were used for analysis.
2
Results and Discussions
2.1
Socio-economic structure
The study (Table 1) shows that majority of the farmers
were male (62.00%) and with no formal education
(48.70%).
This result was in line with the earlier
findings of Oduntan et al (2008) which stated that
72.00%
and 75.00% of farmers in communities
bordering OONP were male and without formal
education respectively. Past researchers have found
that farmers with formal or higher education level are
more likely to recognize and be cautious of harmful
environmental practices or pest control methods
(
Jacobson et al, 2006). Also, 73.45% of the farmers
are married, while 69.00% had a family size of
between 7 and above. Previous studies (Akinyemi and
Oduntan, 2004; Oduntan et al., 2012, accepted)
revealed that families with many members will likely
have more economic pressure and struggling to uplift
their living standard.
2.2
Financial implication of wildlife-crop damages
in the study area
Table 2 shows the average value of crops lost to
Primates in the study area. The result revealed that an
estimated average of N3 979.18±5.79, N3 981.33±3.67,
N3 974.60±6.85, 3 905.85±6.32 worth of Yam tubers
were lost by each farmer in Abanla, Imodi, Budo
Alhaji and Fomu villages respectively. The result also
showed that an estimated sum of N43771.20,N59720.17,
N59619.06and N54682.21worth of Yam plants or tubers
were lost to primate invasion on a total of 55 farmlands
in Abanla, Imodi, Budo Alhaji and Fomu respectively.
In addition, an estimated average of N67 656.35±420.90,
N68 248.14±500.97, N66 094.73±482.22, N67 817.90±554.17
worth of Maize were lost on farmlands by each farmer
at Abanla, Imodi, Budo Alhaji and Fomu villages
respectively. The result revealed an estimated sum of
N473 594.40, N409 488.90, N396 568.40 and N440 816.40
worth of Maize cobs or plants were lost to primate
preying on 47 farmlands in Abanla, Imodi, Budo
Alhaji and Fomu respectively (Table 2).
Table 1 Demographic rating of respondents
Characteristics
Frequency Percent (%)
Age of respondents
15
~30 years
27
23.89
31
~40 years
42
37.17
41
and above
44
38.94
Total
113
100
Gender
Male
70
61.95
Female
43
38.05
Total
113
100
Marital status
Single
30
26.54
Married
83
73.46
Total
113
100
Educational level
Primary
44
38.93
Secondary
14
12.38
Uneducated
55
48.70
Total
113
100
Size of family (married)
2
~6
26
31.00
7
and above
57
69.00
Total
83
100
Furthermore, while an estimated sum of N11949.04,
N7983.09, N11669.21 and N7982.00 worth of
cassavaure
plants or tubers were lost to primate
invasion on a total of 10 farmlands in the respective
villages mentioned; an estimated average of
N4 780.13±1.53, N3 993.09±4.50, N5 834.50±4.48,
N5 321.33±3.99 worth of cassava plants or tubers
were lost to primate in Abanla, Imodi, Budo Alhaji
and Fomu respectively as shown in Table 2.
This study shows that not many Cassava farmlands or
plants were affected by Primates, when compared with
other food crops that were affected in the study areas.
This can be as a result of comments made by farmers
in the study site that unlike maize and yam, primate
rarely eats cassava tuber or plants, which may be as a
result of high percentage of cyanide in cassava.
Farmers’ comments in the study area further revealed
that angered, provoked or wounded primates often
intentionally destroyed farm crops, uprooting tubers
and maize plants on farmlands.
In general, a total of N217 792.64, N1 720 467.70 and
N39 583.34 worth of Yam, Maize and Cassava
farmlands were altogether respectively destroyed in
villages prone to primates attack within the Old Oyo
National Park ranges. Oduntan et al (2009) concluded
