Monitoring Wildlife Corridors Between Borgu Game Reserve and Kainji Lake National Park

Wildlife corridors connecting protected areas are essential for maintaining genetic diversity and enabling species movement across fragmented landscapes. The corridor between Borgu Game Reserve and Kainji Lake National Park in Niger State, within Nigeria's North Central geopolitical zone, represents one of the most ecologically significant wildlife movement zones in the country. This study monitors the functional status of this corridor using camera trap surveys, track counts, and vegetation assessments conducted over six months. Twenty camera trap stations were deployed along the corridor at 2 km intervals, supplemented by spoor transects and interviews with local hunters and farmers. Camera trap data identified 19 mammal species using the corridor, including African elephant, lion, leopard, and roan antelope. Activity patterns suggest that nocturnal movement dominates corridor use, likely as an avoidance strategy in response to agricultural encroachment during daytime. Vegetation assessment reveals that the central section of the corridor has been significantly narrowed by farmland expansion, with effective corridor width reduced to less than 3 km in some areas. The study recommends urgent demarcation of corridor boundaries, negotiation of conservation easements with farming households, and integration of the corridor into the management plans of both protected areas. These findings support conservation priorities identified by the Wildlife Conservation Society Nigeria program. Keywords: wildlife corridors, camera trapping, Borgu Game Reserve, North Central Nigeria, connectivity