Wildlife Environmental Conservation: A Case Study of Oba Hill Forest Reserve

This paper draws attention to the major threats of nature conservation in Nigeria (Oba Hill Forest reserve) and reviews critically the measures needs to adopt for the protection of wildlife resources in Oba hill forest reserve, Osun State, Nigeria. The major problems include habitat degradation (through uncontrolled logging, agricultural projects, highway and urban development, exploitation for fuel wood, over hunting and poaching. The study was conducted in Oba hill forest reserve between the wet and dry seasons in the year 2015. Relevant data collected with the aid of a structured questionnaire administered in five (5) sampled communities’ areas within the study site. The villages are choosing purposely due to their proximity to the forest reserve. A random sampling technique method was use to analyze one hundred (100) respondents randomly selected and interviewed. The necessary steps need to take so far to protect wildlife in this reserve include making it to be a national park, enactment of wildlife laws, signing it of international treaties and manpower empowerment development. These measures have however failed to produce the desired effect owning largely to public apathy, low level of funding, inadequate game laws and weak enforcement of existing legal provisions. Summarily, it is suggest that the federal Government should intervene more positively in favour of conservation by creating more national parks and assuming joint responsibility with the state Government for formulating wildlife laws. In addition, the role of non-governmental agencies/organization in influencing conservation policies and mobilizing public opinion will be crucial in the difficult years ahead.