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VOL. 11, ISSUE 2 (2026)
Evaluation of community participation in wildlife conservation and management in in Cross River State, Nigeria
Authors
Okonta B O, Iloba C I, Emaziye P O
Abstract
The primary aim of the research was to assess community involvement in
wildlife conservation and management within Cross River State, Nigeria. A
multistage sampling technique was utilized to select 360 respondents. Data
collection was conducted through a questionnaire distributed by trained
assistants and enumerators, followed by analysis using both descriptive and
inferential statistics. The findings indicated that local communities engage in
wildlife monitoring activities, participate in wildlife conservation planning,
take part in conservation decision-making, are involved in anti-poaching
initiatives, contribute to environmental awareness programs, engage in habitat
restoration efforts, are active in the implementation of conservation policies,
and participate in the evaluation of conservation programs. Additionally, it
was revealed that socioeconomic factors significantly influence community
participation in wildlife conservation and management in Cross River, Nigeria.
The socioeconomic factors identified included educational level, household
income, occupation, household size, and length of residence. Furthermore, key
institutional and governance factors affecting community participation in
wildlife conservation and management in Cross River, Nigeria, included access
to credit, contact with extension agents, government incentives, the
establishment of social amenities, and the influence of wildlife conservation
laws. All null hypotheses were rejected due to the presence of strong positive
correlations among the parameters, with r > 0.50 and p-value < 0.005. It
is therefore recommended that government agencies enhance community
participation by involving local communities in conservation planning,
implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. There should be equitable
benefit-sharing mechanisms should be developed to ensure that host communities
receive tangible economic and social benefits from wildlife conservation
programmes.
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Pages:126-131
How to cite this article:
Okonta B O, Iloba C I, Emaziye P O "Evaluation of community participation in wildlife conservation and management in in Cross River State, Nigeria". International Journal of Academic Research and Development, Vol 11, Issue 2, 2026, Pages 126-131
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