PAPER TITLE :RELATIVE ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF WESTERN HARTEBEEST ALCELAPHUS BUSELAPHUS PALLAS 1766 IN BORGU

JOURNAL Of SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY | VOLUME 4 NUMBER 1 2013

Paper Details

  • Author(s) : EJIDIKE, B.N. and AJAYI, S.R
  • Abstract:

This study investigates the availability and distribution of the western hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus in Borgu sector of Kainji lake national park. Abundance and distribution of western hartebeest was assessed based on the sex, group/herd size, age range and other activities of the animal in relation to the specific features in the park. The animal was observed using direct and indirect methods of observation at 0700 -1400h and 1600 - 1830h thrice in a week over 16 weeks. Results indicated that western hartebeest move in groups of both adult and young of both sexes. A total of  245 individuals  were sighted in different tracks in the park during the study The sex population structure of western hartebeest was 33% male to 67% female. The age and sex structure of adult male and female, juvenile male and female of western hartebeest expressed in percentage is 24% and 56%, 9% and 11% respectively, which signified a continuation of the western hartebeest in the park. The highest relative abundance of western hartebeest population occurred in Olusegun Obasanjo track with density of 3.6/km2 indicating easy visibility of the western hartebeest in the track. Shehu Shagari track had the least western hartebeest density of 0.4/km2 in the park. The variation in the population density might be due to the differences in vegetation type of the tracks. The western hartebeest moves in herds, is not aggressive and associates freely with other large, medium and small sized ungulates in the park.