Ecotourism Potential Assessment of Wildlife Resources in Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi State, North East Nigeria

This study assesses the ecotourism potential of wildlife resources in Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi State, located in Nigeria's North East geopolitical zone. Yankari is Nigeria's most visited game reserve, yet its ecotourism operations have underperformed economically relative to the reserve's biodiversity richness, and a current systematic assessment is needed to guide investment. A professional ecotourism assessment combining structured visitor surveys, wildlife resource inventory updates, infrastructure audits, and stakeholder consultations was conducted over two months. Current wildlife species presence was verified by camera trapping and transect surveys. Infrastructure including accommodation, roads, viewing platforms, and interpretation materials was assessed using an ecotourism quality scoring matrix. Visitor surveys (n = 120) assessed satisfaction, willingness to pay, and desired activities. Wildlife assets confirmed for ecotourism included elephant (estimated 350 to 400 individuals), hippopotamus, baboon, lion, and 350 bird species. Infrastructure quality scores averaged 52 of 100 points, with roads and interpretation media as the weakest areas. Visitor willingness to pay was significantly higher than current fees for elephant and lion sighting experiences. The study develops a 10-year ecotourism development plan specifying infrastructure investment priorities, professional guide training requirements, community revenue-sharing mechanisms, and a wildlife-based tourism product portfolio. The plan is designed for submission to the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation and potential development finance partners. Keywords: ecotourism, Yankari Game Reserve, wildlife tourism, Bauchi State, conservation finance.