Home to abundant flora and fauna species, Nigeria has put some conservation efforts in place to protect its natural resources and endangered species. These efforts include establishing about 27 national parks and reserves, covering over 7% of the country’s land area. These parks and reserves protect a variety of habitats, including forests, savannas, and wetlands as well as protecting, preserving, and rehabilitating species that are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss, poaching, climate change, or other human-induced factors.
Some of these centers include;
1. Lekki Conservation Centre
Lekki Conservation Centre is a 78-hectare (190-acre) natural resource conservation in Lekki, Lagos State. It is part of the PARCC West Africa project. The center is home to several wildlife, including monkeys, antelopes, crocodiles, and birds. It also has a botanical garden and butterfly house.
2. Cross River National Park
Cross River National Park is located in the extreme south-eastern corner of Nigeria, in Cross River State. It covers an area of about 4000sq km and consists of tropical rainforest ecosystem in the North and central parts, and montane mosaic vegetation on the Obudu Plateau. It is Nigeria’s last Great Rainforest Reserve, and the closest to the Mangrove Swamps on the coastal region.
3. Gashaka Gumti National Park
Gashaka-Gumti National Park is located in the mountainous region of north-eastern Nigeria, the north of Mambilla Plateau, in Adamawa and Taraba State, Nigeria. The park covers a total area of 6,731 sq.km and is home to a variety of wildlife, including primates, elephants, lions, and leopards.
4. Kainji Lake National Park
Kainji lake National Park is located in the northwest central part of Nigeria. The park covers an impressive area of 5340.82sq/km separated into two distinct non-contiguous sectors namely Borgu sector with an area of 3970.02 sq/km and Zugurma sector with an area of 1370.80 sq/km.
It is home to several wildlife particularly lions, hippos and antelopes.
5. The Oluwa Forest Reserve
This forest reserve is located in Ondo State and covers an area of over 829 km2 (320 sq mi). It is part of the Omo-Shasha-Oluwa forest reserve. The three reserves contain some of the last remaining forests in the area.
Although they are biologically unique, they are threatened by logging, hunting and agriculture.
6. Omo Forest Reserve
7. Jos Wildlife Park
Jos wildlife park is situated along the Jos-Miango road, about 5 km from the city of Jos. It covers an area of 8 sq.km, making it one of the biggest natural/artificial zoological park in Nigeria.
The park features pine forest and Vongnifwel Hill, the highest point east of Jos at 1,345 meters above sea level, and is an habitat for elephants, cattle, elands, gazelles, lions, crocodiles, hyenas, pythons, ostriches, the crowned crane, and vultures. In 2020, Mr. Zendi Mukuk an animal lover donated a pregnant African rock python to the park.
8. Mbe Mountains Community Forest
The Mbe Mountains Community Forest is situated in southern Nigeria, and covers an area of 86 km2. The Mbe Mountains stand at a height of 900m and are important stronghold for the critically endangered Cross River gorilla Gorilla gorilla diehli, and other unique species such as the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee Pan troglodytes ellioti, the drill Mandrillus leucophaeus, and the grey-necked rockfowl Picathartes oreas.
The mountains are surrounded by nine communities with a total population of approx. 10,000 people.
9. Sumu Wildlife Park
Sumu Wildlife Park is a game reserve located in the Sumu forest, Ganjuwa Local Government Area, Bauchi State. It BEGAN operation in 2006.
The Namibian government donated 279 wildlife species to the park, consisting of 10 Giraffes, 53 Burchell’s Zebras, 14 Elands, 23 blue Wildebeests, 21 red Hartebeests, 24 Oryxs, 26 Kudus, 52 Springboks and 56 common Impalas.
These are only few of renowned conservation centers in Nigeria. Still, Nigeria still combats with conservation issues.
