Wildlife conservation society’s activities and biodiversity conservation in protected areas in cross river state, Nigeria

Abstract

Despite the activities of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in protected areas in Cross River State, a high level of forest resource exploitation is still occasioned by indiscriminate logging, wildlife poaching, bush burning, and dangerous fishing. Previous studies in the study area and Africa have identified some reasons for this continuous biodiversity exploitation. However, the effect of the activities of the WCS has yet to be analyzed. This study used a correlational research design to examine the Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) activities and biodiversity conservation in Protected Areas in Cross River State. A sample of 1360 respondents from a population of 76,704 inhabitants in the 25 support Zone Communities in Afi, Mbe, and Okwangwo Divisions of Cross River National Park (CRNP) was drawn. After receiving face and content validity from experts, a 30-item structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument's Cronbach alpha reliability indices varied between 0.83 and 0.89. The data analysis method employed was Simple Linear Regression analysis. The analysis revealed that conservation education activities, alternative livelihood support, and anti-poaching patrols significantly contributed to biodiversity conservation in Protected Areas in Cross River State. Based on this result, it was concluded that the activities of WCS to ensure adequate conservation of biodiversity-ecosystem in Protected Areas in Cross River State yield intermediate results. It was recommended that WCS intensify efforts in educating community people around protected areas in Cross River State, increase and monitor alternative livelihood support, and intensify anti-poaching patrols in all the protected areas.