PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN TOURISM CORRIDOR OF EKITI STATE, NIGERIA

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN TOURISM CORRIDOR OF EKITI STATE, NIGERIA AYODELE, Olubunmi Modupe Esther Ecotourism is a major source of revenue and provides additional income for supporting livelihoods in many countries. Understanding local communities‘ perceptions and tourists‘ attitudes are essential for the growth, sustainable management and the development of the ecotourism industry. In Nigeria, negative perceptions and low patronage have been reported as constraints to the expansion of ecotourism sector. However, information on local communities‘ and tourists‘ perceptions of Ecotourism Development (ED) along the tourism corridor of Ekiti State are currently limited. Therefore, perceptions of host communities and ecotourists towards ED in Ekiti State, Nigeria, were investigated. Three communities with ecotourism sites in Ekiti state: Ikogosi: Ikogosi Warm Spring (IWS), Ipole-Iloro: Arinta Waterfall (AW) and Efon Alaaye (EA): River Ooni (RO); were purposively selected, based on unique natural features. Proportionate to size sampling techniques was used to select 300 residents (Ikogosi-100, Ipole-Iloro-70 and EA-130) and 100 Business Owners (BO): Ikogosi-30, Ipole-Iloro-20 and EA-50. Also, accidental sampling technique was used to select 180 ecotourists (IWS-100, AW-45 and RO-35) that visited the ecotourism sites from 2013 to 2015.Three sets of structured questionnaires were administered on each of the three categories of respondents. Using standard methods, fauna species in the ecotourism sites were identified. The perception of residents, BO and ecotourists on ED Facilities (EDF): such as roads, hotels, electricity and internet service; ecotourist-community relationship and ecotourism benefits to BO were assessed. Variables influencing willingness to pay for ED and benefits accruable to BOs were determined. Relative abundance was calculated. Data generated were analysed using simple percentage, multiple linear and binary logistic regressions at α0.05. Residents (Ikogosi: 55.0%, Ipole-Iloro: 64.3%, and EA: 65.4%) and BO (Ikogosi: 96.7%, IpoleIloro: 90.0% and EA: 68.0%) believed that EDF improved their living conditions. Ecotourists (IWS: 60.2%, AW: 88.9% and RO: 2.8%) perceived improvements in road conditions will enhance patronage. Ecotourists, except in RO (28.6%), (IWS: 54.1%);(AW: 66.7%) perceived that electricity and internet services were adequate, Most ecotourists (IWS: 72.4%, AW: 97.8% and RO: 91.4%) and residents (Ikogosi: 87.5%, Ipole-Iloro: 100.0% and EA: 100.0%) discerned that a cordial ecotourist-community relationship existed. Most BO (Ikogosi: 63.3%, Ipole-Iloro: 60.0% and EA: 48.0%) recognize increased benefits from ecotourism activities through improvement of sales.Age (ß=1.18), sex (ß=1.95) and educational status (ß=4.34) significantly influenced the amount ecotourists willing to pay. Benefits accruable to BO were significantly dependent on age (ß=3.05), sex (ß=1.51), educational status (ß=1.74) and monthly income (ß=2.19). There were 30 fauna species: IWS-24, AW-25 and RO-1, belonging to 22 families across the three sites. Family Scuridae had the highest occurrence in IWS (20%), AW (17%) and RO (100%), respectively. Perception of host communities and business owners encouraged ecotourism and improved road conditions will enhance patronage within the tourism corridor. Age, gender and educational status of tourists are important factors that affect patronage of ecotourism along the tourism corridor of Ekiti State, Nigeria.

HEAVY METALS CONTAMINATION IN WATERHOLE, SOIL, PLANT AND WILD ANIMALS’ FAECAL SAMPLES IN OLD OYO NATIONAL PARK, NIGERIA

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMT

HEAVY METALS CONTAMINATION IN WATERHOLE, SOIL, PLANT AND WILD ANIMALS’ FAECAL SAMPLES IN OLD OYO NATIONAL PARK, NIGERIA ADETUGA, AdetolaTaiwo Old Oyo National Park (OONP), a protected area in Nigeria, is threatened by anthropogenic activities (mining, charcoal production and farming) from surrounding communities. These activities have been reported as sources of Heavy Metals Contamination (HMC) with resultant toxic effects on the environment. For sustainable management of OONP natural resources, data on HMC characteristics and structures are crucial but not available. Therefore, HMC characteristics and structures in waterhole, soil, plant and wild animals’ faecal samples in OONP were investigated. Three out of five ranges (Marguba, Tede, Oyo-Ile) in OONP were purposively selectedbased on availability of perennial waterholes and observed anthropogenic activities. Segmented transect belt (n=15, 1.2 km in length) was adopted for dry (November - March) and wet (April - October) season sampling. Composited surface water, topsoil (0-15 cm), plants (leaves) and faeces of wild animals were collected for 24 months using standard methods. Samples were analysed forheavy metals (mg/kg)using standard procedures. Soil contamination determinants: Contamination Factors [(CF): <1 (low contamination) to ≥6 (very high contamination) and Geo-accumulation index(I-geo): <0 (unpolluted) to ≥5 (extremely polluted) were calculated. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, T-test and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) at α0.05. The least and highest levels of heavy metals in waterholes were cadmium [0.01±0.01 (Tede), 0.05±0.03 (Marguba)]; lead [0.07±0.10 (Tede), 0.15±0.10 (Marguba)]; zinc [0.13±0.07 (Tede) and 0.24±0.32 (Marguba)]. In topsoil, cadmium varied from 0.62±0.52 (Tede) to 1.47±1.07 (Marguba), lead from 1.73±2.34 (Oyo-Ile) to 3.20±2.23 (Tede) and zinc from 6.81±1.77 (Tede) to 22.96±17.58 (Marguba). In plants, cadmium ranged from 0.11±0.21 (Tede) to 0.27±0.30 (Oyo-Ile), lead from 0.32±0.50 (Marguba) to 0.55±0.59 (Oyo-Ile) and zinc from 5.64±3.58 (Oyo-Ile) to 12.48±10.41 (Marguba). Highest mean level of zinc in faeces (30.41±42.20) was obtained in Marguba while other heavy metals were Below Detection Limit (BDL). In other ranges, cadmium, lead and zinc were BDL. Cadmium, lead and zinc in waterholes [(0.03±0.04; 0.05±0.04), (0.08±0.10; 0.16±0.09), (0.15±0.16; 0.16±0.06)], topsoil [(0.86±0.67; 1.06±1.31), (2.08±1.76; 3.17±2.47), (7.02±7.36; 22.59±17.44)] and plants [(0.18±0.26; 0.24±0.31), (0.44±0.57; 0.47±0.61), (8.87±7.77; 11.24±7.01)] were obtained in dry and wet seasons, respectively. Zinc level in faeces was 30.41±42.20 in dry season with cadmium and lead BDL while zinc, cadmium and lead were BDL in wet season. Significant seasonal variation existed only for zinc, in water and soil samples. Cadmium, lead and zinc had CF of 4.68±1.79, 0.63±0.08 and 0.33±0.18 while I-geo were 3.02±0.62, -2.63±0.17 and -3.20±0.87, respectively. Zinc had highest contribution of total variability of identified components (PC 1 and PC 2) of waterholes (50.97%), plants (34.66%) and faeces (39.47%) while lead (52.23%) had highest contribution of total variability of identified components in soils. The Old Oyo National Park was considerably contaminated and strongly polluted with cadmium. Appropriate remediation efforts should be put in place to protect the park’s ecosystem health.

Wildlife and Ecotourism Management

PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN TOURISM CORRIDOR OF EKITI STATE, NIGERIA

HEAVY METALS CONTAMINATION IN WATERHOLE, SOIL, PLANT AND WILD ANIMALS’ FAECAL SAMPLES IN OLD OYO NATIONAL PARK, NIGERIA