Population Status and Habitat Utilisation of African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in Kainji Lake National Park, Niger State

The African buffalo is a keystone herbivore whose population dynamics reflect broader ecosystem health in savanna ecosystems. In Nigeria, reliable population estimates for this species remain limited outside of a few protected areas, hampering evidence-based wildlife management. This study assesses the population status, group size distribution, and habitat utilisation patterns of African buffalo in Kainji Lake National Park, Niger State. Distance sampling along sixteen transects was used to estimate population density, while GPS waypoints recorded group locations across vegetation types. Habitat preference indices were computed by comparing observed locations against available habitat proportions. A total of 892 individual buffalo were counted across 47 groups, yielding an estimated park-wide density of 1.2 individuals per square kilometre, below carrying capacity projections. Group sizes ranged from 4 to 78 individuals, with larger aggregations associated with floodplain grasslands. Woodland savanna was disproportionately selected during the dry season, correlating with water source proximity. Human-wildlife conflict incidents reported near the park southern boundary coincided spatially with buffalo movement corridors. Population age and sex ratios suggested a slightly skewed adult female bias, consistent with current moderate poaching pressure. Recommendations include enhanced anti-poaching operations in the southern sector and restoration of dry season water points to distribute grazing pressure. Keywords: African buffalo, population density, Kainji National Park, habitat utilisation, distance sampling