Population Abundance and Density Estimates of Poorly Documented Near-Threatened Calabar Angwantibo (Arctocebus calabarensis) in Oban Hills Region

Author:

Omifolaji James Kehinde12,Adedoyin Sunday Opeyemi3,Ikyaagba Emmanuel Tersea4ORCID,Khan Tauheed Ullah1ORCID,Ojo Victor Abiodun5,Hu Yiming1,Alarape Abideen Abiodun6,Jimoh Saka Oladunni7,Hu Huijian1

Affiliation:

1. Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China

2. Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Federal University Dutse, Dutse 720222, Jigawa State, Nigeria

3. Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba 272102, Kogi State, Nigeria

4. Department of Social and Environmental Forestry, University of Agriculture, Makurdi 970001, Benue State, Nigeria

5. Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri 600230, Borno State, Nigeria

6. Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200132, Oyo Sate, Nigeria

7. Department of Social and Environmental Forestry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200132, Oyo Sate, Nigeria

Abstract

Population abundance and density estimates play important roles in biodiversity conservation assessment and can lead to prioritization of conservation efforts, strategies, and management. The Calabar angwantibo (Arctocebus calabarensis) is a poorly studied, Near-Threatened nocturnal, arboreal mammal species occurring only in the lowland moist tropical rainforest blocks of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. Like other arboreal nocturnal mammals, there are gaps in knowledge of the distribution and abundance of this species, which may be facing population declines due to habitat loss and hunting. In this study, we investigated the abundance and density of A. calabarensis in the Oban Hills Region of Nigeria. We conducted systematic distance sampling survey along 32 transects in different habitats in a 1227 km of survey efforts. A total of 41 sightings of A. calabarensis were detected, resulting in an abundance of 7345 individuals (95% CI = 1.51–4.37) with an estimated density of 2.57 animals/km2. The estimated population abundance is 6515 individuals in closed-canopy forests and 830 individuals in secondary forests, with encounter rates of 0.52 individual/km2 and 0.60 individuals/km2 in the closed canopy and secondary forest habitats. The global estimates encounter rate of A. calabarensis across the habitat types is 0.33 individuals/km2 and population abundance of 4456 individuals. Our findings indicate that the A. calabarensis populations can adapt to low changes in forest habitat modifications resulting from increasing and widespread forest disturbance by human-dominated activity, which is giving way to forest clearance for agriculture cultivation and infrastructural development. Our findings help to fill a knowledge gap regarding this species and may help establish a baseline for future management, population monitoring, and conservation of the cryptic population of A. calabarensis in Cross-Sanaga Forests.

Funder

Volkswagen Foundation

Idea Wild USA

National Natural Science Foundation of China

GDAS Special Project of Science and Technology Development

Guangdong Academy of Sciences

Publisher

MDPI AG

Reference63 articles.

1. Wilson, D.E., Lacher, T.E., and Mittermeier, R.A. (2016). Handbook of the Mammals of the World—Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Lynx Edicions in Association with Conservation International and IUCN, IUCN.

2. Assessment of the diversity of African primates;Grubb;Int. J. Primatol.,2003

3. African primate diversity threatened by “new wave” of industrial oil palm expansion;Linder;Afr. Primates,2013

4. Linder, J.M., Cronin, D.T., Ting, N., Abwe, E.E., Davenport, T.R., Detwiler, K., Galat, G., Galat-Luong, A., Hart, J., and Ikemeh, R.A. (2021). Red Colobus (Piliocolobus) Conservation Action Plan 2021–2026, IUCN.

5. A survey of nocturnal primates (Strepsirrhini: Galaginae, Perodictinae) in southern Nigeria;Pimley;Afr. J. Ecol.,2009

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3