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PROCEEDINGS OF THE MAIDEN INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE

OF
SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND NATURAL
RESOURCES (SAFNR)

OLUSEGUN AGAGU UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY (OAUSTECH), OKITIPUPA,
ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

THEME:-

SUSTAINABLE CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE IN
THE WAKE OF FOOD INSECURITY AND MIGRATION

DATE: 13TH – 16TH NOVEMBER, 2023

Eds: Akinyemiju, O. A., Faleyimu, O. I., Amakoroma, E. R., Ogunjobi, J. A., Adeoye, A. A., Olusola, S. E., Ogunsusi, K., Fatoba, T.A., Olojugba, M.R., Ogidi, C.O., Oyebode L. A., Owombo, P.T., Oladitan, T. O., Aminu, O.O., Francis S. D. and Aladeboyeje, A. I.

A Publication of the School of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
(OAUSTECH)

ISBN: 978-978-784-440-3
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PANGOLIN-HUMAN INTERACTION IN JUNGLE FOUR (J4): OPPORTUNITY FOR CREATION OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AREA AND DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Ogunjobi, J. A¹, Ijose O. A² and Ayansola, V. I ³

¹Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Environmental Management, Olusegun Agagu University of
Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria

²Department of Hospitality, Event and Tourism Management,
University of North Texas, United State

³Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research, Institute of Functional Biology and Ecology,
University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland

Corresponding author: ogunjonson02@gmail.com, ja.ogunjobi@oaustech.edu.ng

ABSTRACT

Jungle four (J4) is one of the rain forest ecosystem in Nigeria with regular supply of bushmeat. In this study, knowledge of pangolins-human interaction among J4 dwellers was investigated in 2021. The villagers leaving in J4 in the least twenty years were randomly sampled purposively. Study sample size consisted of 240 villagers that had stay in the study area for at least twenty years. Information on human familiarity with pangolin, pangolin conservation importance and uses were gathered. The findings revealed that majority of J4 dwellers are familiar with the animal pangolin. Despite knowledge of pangolin importance to forest ecosystem by J4 dwellers, utilization of the animal as whole animal for meat or parts for medicinal purposes indiscriminately still linger. Tree collection 86(36.6%) for different human needs was perceived to be the major driver of pangolin habitat destruction. The study recommended an intensive monitoring of human-pangolin interaction, pangolin conservation campaign, rescue and rehabilitation of pangolin found in hunters return, and integration of homestay tourism.

Keyword: Pangolin, conservation, uses, human interaction, tourism

INTRODUCTION

There are eight species of pangolins globally and the population of all of them is being threatened (IUCN, 2019). Out of this eight species, four of them are dwelling in Afro-tropical forest of the Sub-saharan Africa. Nigeria forest habitat is however home to three of these species: White-Bellied Pangolin: (Phataginu stricuspis); Black-Bellied Pangolin (Phataginustetradactyla) and Giant Ground Pangolin (Smutsiangigantea). Pangolin is one of the most illegally trafficked species in the world due to the high economic value of its scales and meat (Hua et al., 2017). High demand from international markets for pangolins scales from Nigeria is increasing the incident of pangolin poaching (Gomez, 2016; Ingram, 2018).

It is unfortunate that at present, the nation is not well-equipped with sophisticated equipment to properly monitor human interaction with pangolin and their habitat. Human activities were reported by Ediagbonya et al. (2021) as fundamental in the processes result in destruction of habitat and biodiversity lose. Ogunjobi et al (2018) posited that wildlife habitats encroachments by man are known to cause severe negative impacts on the functioning and values of the ecosystem and in turn affect animal abundance, distribution and
population. Unsustainable hunting of wildlife in South-western Nigeria is fast threatening non-timber forest products (Ogunjobi and Ediagbonya, 2017) Local communities are known to have better understanding of resources in their vicinity (Medeiros *et al.*, 2016; Vandebroek, 2016).

The objectives of this study therefore, are to determine villagers' familiarization with the animal pangolins, knowledge of pangolin ecological importance, medicinal uses of pangolin and rationale for the destruction of pangolin habitat as well as modalities for the development of sustainable tourism in the study area.

## MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study area is jungle four (J4) located on longitude 3.180 E and Latitude 6.470 N within Ogun State Afforestation Project, Nigeria. Due to the nature of this study, purposive sampling method was used to select 240 respondents who have been residing in the study area for more than twenty years ago. Information on human-pangolin familiarity, medicinal uses and conservation importance were gathered. Data collected were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis.

## RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

### Human-Pangolin interaction in J4

Information gathered shows that pangolin is one wildlife species the villagers in J4 as 235 (97.92%) respondents are well familiar with the animal. This corroborate the position of Medeiros *et al*. (2016) and Vandebroek (2016) that local communities tend to have better understanding of resources in their vicinity. Nigeria has become the number-one country in the world known for illegal pangolin trade since 2016 (Ogundipe, 2019). About 57.03% of the respondents acknowledged the fact that pangolins are significant in keeping the J4 forest healthy through feeding on termites. Also, 44.25% of the respondents believed that meat of pangolin represents the major reason for hunting pangolin in J4.

This finding confirmed the position of Ogundipe (2019) and Zanvo *et al*. (2021) submission that pangolins were mostly hunted for food. Generally, habitat losts in developing countries such as Nigeria is drastically leading to reduction in animal population, and J4 is not left out. Adelakun *et. al*. (2015) mentioned that human activities such as farming, infrastructure development and tourism can radically alter wildlife habitat. Although pangolins are majorly use for ten medicinal purposes in J4 (Table 1), but, people seeking for spiritual protection (23.40%) are the majority of people affecting the population of pangolin in the study area unlike the case reported of sea turtle where majority use the animal as alternative to meat (Ogunjobi and Surulere, 2020). Present study affirmed that human anthropogenic activities (46.81%) such as farming, hunting, deforestation and grazing were responsible for major causes of encroachment and destruction of pangolin habitat in the study area.

## CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Pangolin is a well familiar wildlife species to the inhabitant of J4. Despite the knowledge of ecological activities of the animal by the villagers, some of the villagers still indulged in indiscriminate uses of this animal species as food, source of income and essential ingredient for medicinal purposes. Pangolins' hunting in J4 has a likelihood of local extinction and ecological disequilibrium if not properly addressed now. In order to save pangolin population and their habitat in J4, modalities to fully put a stop to land encroachment in the area need to be intensified, just as pangolin conservation awareness in the area need to be strengthening and also made a continuous engagement. In the same vein, sustainable tourism needs to be emphasized. In an attempt to conserve the diminishing population of pangolin left in the forest ecosystem on a sustainable level, there is urgent need to set aside Jungle Four (J4) for the development of ecotourism destination. This will regulate the movement of intruders and poachers into the forested ecosystem as security patrol would be beefed up. Pangolins conservation to promote ecotourism is pertinent to achieving sustainable development goals for the adjacent communities, thereby creating alternative livelihood for the local people whose entire survival depends has hitherto on the consumptive utilization of
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natural resources. A strategy to get the local people involved in such tourism operations could be achieved through the concept of homestay tourism, a form of tourist lodging that enables visitors to stay in local households while visiting a particular location as described by Gu and Wong (2006) which is capable of providing avenue for guests to reside within the house of the host families through a direct or indirect payment modalities (Lynch, 2003).

According to Acharya and Halpenny (2013), homestays are seen as a substitute tourism product for the development of sustainable communities. In order to boost the local economy, diverting people's sole reliance on forest resources, policymakers are actively encouraging homestays (Sood et al., (2017). In the Community Based Ecotourism (CBET) context, homestay geographical dimensions extend into the realm of the larger community surroundings, including traditional lands, forests, rivers, ocean regions, spiritual and cultural sites, and workplaces (Regmi and Walter, 2016).

Homestay tourism, as opined by Kc (2021), has contributed immensely to the conservation and the management of the environment such as cleaning the roads, planting flowers, ensuring zero tolerance for plastic waste littering and ultimately, the mediating role played to reduce potential causes of human-wildlife conflict in communities adjacent BNP where the protected area management and the local communities work together to ensure a peaceful co-existence between humans and nature. Hence, the development of homestay initiative based upon the availability of pangolins which are not commonly found in all parts of the world, would give the local communities adjacent J4 the clout needed to attract both domestic and international ecotourists into the area. Ecotourism will then be able to learn more about the tragedies ravaging these species, creating global awareness about the need for conservation.

This in no time, if properly managed, would ultimately translates to economic, social, environmental and conservation benefits rather than the usual unsustainable utilization and irrational exploitation of pangolin species by the locals for meat, medicinal purpose and bushmeat trade (Oni et al., 2023).

<table><caption>Table 1: Human-Pangolin interaction in J4</caption><thead><tr><th>Indicators</th><th>Frequency (N=240)</th><th>Percentage</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Villagers familiarity with pangolin</strong></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Well familiar</td><td>235</td><td>97.92</td></tr><tr><td>Familiar</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>Not Familiar</td><td>5</td><td>2.08</td></tr><tr><td>Villagers awareness of ecological importance of pangolin</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Feeding on and destruction of termite hills</td><td>134</td><td>57.02</td></tr><tr><td>Ecosystem balance</td><td>101</td><td>42.98</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Medicinal uses of pangolin parts in the study area</strong></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Protection</td><td>55</td><td>23.40</td></tr><tr><td>Rheumatism</td><td>45</td><td>19.15</td></tr><tr><td>Infertility</td><td>42</td><td>17.87</td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table><tr><td>Convulsion</td><td>29</td><td>12.34</td></tr><tr><td>Stomach disorder</td><td>20</td><td>8.51</td></tr><tr><td>Stoke</td><td>13</td><td>5.53</td></tr><tr><td>Body pain</td><td>10</td><td>4.26</td></tr><tr><td>Asthma</td><td>8</td><td>3.40</td></tr><tr><td>Headache</td><td>3</td><td>1.28</td></tr><tr><td>Epilepsy</td><td>10</td><td>4.26</td></tr></table>

Causes of pangolin habitat destruction

<table><tr><td>Forest trees for human needs</td><td>86</td><td>36.60</td></tr><tr><td>Uncontrolled bush burning</td><td>49</td><td>20.85</td></tr><tr><td>Cattle grazing</td><td>36</td><td>15.32</td></tr><tr><td>Expansion for farmland</td><td>64</td><td>27.23</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>235</td><td>100</td></tr></table>

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