Conservation Strategies For Endangered Species In Freshwater Ecosystems And Saline Biodiversity Community In Rivers State
Abstract
The fragile freshwater and saline ecosystems of Rivers State, Nigeria, are biodiversity hotspots under severe threat from industrial pollution, habitat fragmentation, and unsustainable resource extraction. This crisis endangers flagship species like the Niger Delta red colobus monkey (Piliocolobus epieni) and the West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis). Concurrently, the indigenous knowledge systems of local communities, which have historically governed these resources, are eroding. This quantitative study adopted a convergent parallel mixed-methods design to investigate this biocultural nexus. Ecological surveys assessed species populations and habitat quality across selected sites, while structured questionnaires and interviews gauged indigenous knowledge, beliefs, and practices among Tai, Asari-Toru, and Okrika communities selected from the three (3) senatorial districts of Rivers State. The research further analyzed the interface between indigenous governance structures and formal state policies. Results revealed critically degraded habitats and declining species populations, a significant gap between the awareness and practice of indigenous conservation ethics, and substantive conflicts between customary and statutory governance systems. These findings informed the development of a participatory, integrative biocultural conservation framework. The study concludes that effective conservation in Rivers State requires a paradigm shift from isolated, top-down biological approaches to strategies that legally recognize, revitalize, and hybridize indigenous knowledge and governance systems with scientific and policy frameworks for sustainable ecosystem co-management.
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Published in UNIHEZ JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
ISSN: 979-41323
This article appears in our peer-reviewed academic journal
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