PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE OCCURRENCE OF THE RED-CAPPED MANGABEY (CERCOCEBUS TORQUATUS) IN THE HUMID FORESTS OF SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study focused on the preliminary assessment of the occurrence of the Red-capped mangabey (Cercocebus torquatus) in the humid forests of South-western Nigeria using a survey of eight forest reserves, one games reserve, and a biosphere reserve. A period of three to five days was spent in each location for data collection. The data for the study was collected through the use of reconnaissance (recce) and market surveys, interview schedules and focus group discussion. A total of 129.9 km transects which ranged from 7 km to 26 km were covered in the protected areas. C. torquatus was sighted directly in three protected areas while only calls of the animal were recorded in three sites. One hundred and twenty-one respondents responded to focus group discussions and interview schedules. The majority of these respondents were primarily farmers, hunters, and forestry officials. The interview schedule affirmed the occurrence of C. torquatus in all the sampled forest, but only three of these sampled forests showed concluding evidence. Conversely, the sighting of C. torquatus was generally low considering the exploration of about 129.9 km and no carcass of C. torquatus was recorded during the market survey. The study also revealed over-exploitation of all the forest reserves. There is, therefore, the need to embark on the regional assessment of the population of this species to establish the current status of the animal.