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Intl. J. of Mol. Ecol. and Conserv. 2013, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2-10
2
Research Report Open Access
Vertebrate Diversity of Alabata Nature Reserve, Abeokuta, South West Nigeria
A.L.A. Shotuyo
1
,
M.O.O. Oyatogun
1
,
O.O. Oduntan
1
,
I.A. Ayodele
2
1
Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, P. M. B. 2240, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
2
Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
Corresponding author email:
Authors
International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2013, Vol.3, No.2 doi: 10.5376/ijmec.2013.03.0002
Received: 05 Dec., 2012
Accepted: 14 Dec., 2012
Published: 20 Mar., 2013
Copyright © 2013 Shotuyo et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article:
Shotuyo et al., 2013, Vertebrate Diversity of Alabata Nature Reserve, Abeokuta, South West Nigeria, Vol.3, No.2, 2-10
(
doi: 10.5376/ijmec.2013.03.0002)
Abstract
The importance of wildlife, especially the vertebrates for game, tourism and medicinal use cannot be over emphasized.
Nature reserves are also known to influence the ecosystem of locations. However, rapid increase in land use for agriculture and other
physical developments are gradually reducing wildlife habitation including the Alabata area nature reserve of Abeokuta. Inventory of
these resources in relation to their habitat parameters would inform their better management. Assessments of vertebrate and associated
flora diversities were therefore carried out in Alabata Nature Reserve. The study covered 20 km
2
out of 97.3 km
2
area of Alabata Nature
Reserve. Twenty sample plots each of 25 m×25 m were laid randomly. Animals (vertebrates) were assessed for 24 months in each plot
cutting across wet and dry seasons. Animals were surveyed weekly using the King Census and Line Transect methods, by direct and
indirect modes. 121 vertebrate species, belonging to 56 families were recorded. Thryonomys swinderianus was the most abundant
vertebrate species with a mean frequency of 319±40.87, while
Ploceus capensis
5
±3.92 was the least abundant.
Keywords
Wild vertebrate diversity; Alabata nature reserve; Sustainable use; Wildlife habitat
Introduction
Biological diversity is a scaled careful thought, going
from genes of individual organisms, to large forest
landscapes,
to
global
biological
diversity
(
Hawksworth et al., 2011). Therefore, classification,
monitoring and reporting must occur on all scales and
must involve all stakeholders. Conservation and,
where suitable, improvement of forest biological
diversity should be a very significant part of
conservation and sustainable use of all types of forests
(
Pearce et al., 1999,
7600.
pdf). This applies to the whole range of forest
categories, from protected primary forests, secondary
forests, plantations, agro-forests to other ecosystems
that include elements of forest biological diversity,
(
Dawson et al., 2011).
The development and implementation of the
ecosystem approach, as described in decision V/6 of
the conference of the Parties, should be guiding
principle to achieve the conservation and sustainable
use of forest biological diversity and it should be
applied to the full continuum of forests, from
protected areas to plantations, based on both science
and adaptive experience (CBD, 2002,
odiv.org/decisions/default.aspx?lg=0&dec=VI/26) .
Critical levels of biological diversity loss/change that
affect forest ecosystem functioning, and, in turn, the
goods and services provided by forests are still largely
unknown among forest types. However, lack of full
certainty should not be used as a reason for delaying
measures to prevent or minimize the threat of
significant reduction or loss of biological diversity,
(
Sizer and Plouvier, 2000).
Biodiversity can be protected in strict nature reserve,
ecological reserves, etc. These are protected areas
established for the conservation of natural values,
usually the known habitat of endangered species,
threatened ecosystem, or representative examples of
widespread communities.
It has become almost increasingly difficult to utilize in
a sustainable manner any one particular resource in
the absence of a comprehensive inventory of the
natural resources for a holistic sustainable planning,
