Populations and Foraging Ecology of Some Mammals in AFI Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, BOKI, Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

A study was carried out to determine the population sizes and foraging ecology of some forest mammals by following transect routes and trails of animals. The sampling technique adopted was stratified random sampling done by the survey of 30 transect routes of 2000m in length and 100m in width in which accessibility was not made impossible by terrain forming a total sample area of 6.2km 2 . This represented sampling intensity of 6.2% of the total forest area of about 100km 2 . Ten surveys were carried out in all. Census was carried out by counting the animals that were sighted. Foraging habit of animals was studied by observing food residues of the animals along their trails. The result showed that Galago, Galago senegalensis , with a density per km 2 of 5.97 individuals and a total population of 597 animals had the highest population of all the primates found in this area . This was followed by Mona monkey, Cercopithecus mona with 1.12 individuals per km 2 and a total population of 112 animals. Putty nose monkey, Cercopithecus nictitans had a density per km 2 of 0.97 individuals and a total population of 97 animals. Also, Red eared monkey, Cercopithecus erythrotis, had a density per km 2 of 0.97 individuals and a total population of 97 animals. Drill monkey, Mandrillus leucophaeus, had a density per km 2 of 0.81 individuals and a total population of 81 animals. Cross River gorilla, Gorilla gorilla diehli had a density per km 2 of 0.48 individuals and a total population of 48 animals. Chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes vellerosus had a density per km 2 of 0.32 individuals and a total population of 32 animals. The study recorded the sighting of six herbivorous mammalian species including antelopes and wild pigs. Rock hyrax, Procavia capensis, had the highest density per km 2 of 8.06 individuals and a total population of 806 animals. Blue duiker, Cephalophus monticola, had the second highest density per km 2 of 6.94 individuals and a total population of 694 animals. This was followed by bay duiker, Cephalophus dorsalis, with a density per km 2 of 5.97 individuals and a total population of 597. Yellow backed duiker, Cephalophus silvicultor and red river hog, Potamochoerus porcus, had densities per km 2 of 5 individuals and a total population of 500 animals each. However, forest buffalo, Syncerus caffer nanus, had the lowest density per km 2 of 4.03 individuals and a total population of 403 animals. Improved conservation