Raptors in Yankari Game Reserve and surrounding unprotected area, Nigeria
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Date
2014-02-27
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Abstract
A recent survey to estimate the population of raptors in and around Yankari
Game Reserve revealed that the reserve still holds a number of raptor species
also found in other reserves in West Africa. In total, 886 raptors of 37 species
were recorded in the gallery forest and savanna habitats of the reserve, while
155 individuals in 18 species were encountered outside of the reserve. The
number of raptors per km of transect in the unprotected area was lower than in
the reserve, despite transect speed being slower and raptor detectability
probably higher in the unprotected area. Most of the species encountered
during surveys were medium-sized raptors. Juvenile raptors were seen only
within the reserve, and adults of large species were rare outside it. Vultures
seem to have declined since 2008, with two species having apparently been
lost from the area.