Rewilding Feasibility and Ecological Restoration Theory for Nigerian Degraded Savanna Landscapes

Rewilding, defined as the restoration of self-sustaining ecological processes through the reintroduction of functionally important species, trophic restoration, and reduction of human management intensity, is emerging as a transformative conservation paradigm in Africa. In Nigeria's degraded Guinea and Sudan savanna landscapes, particularly in the North Central and North West zones, extensive wildlife population declines have eliminated key functional species including large carnivores, top ungulates, and megaherbivores, with cascading consequences for ecosystem function. This dissertation develops an original rewilding feasibility framework for Nigerian degraded savanna landscapes, combining ecological theory, systematic social feasibility assessment, and computational modeling of ecosystem response to rewilding interventions. Ecological assessments of trophic structure, vegetation condition, and functional trait diversity were conducted at six candidate rewilding sites across Niger, Kogi, and Kaduna States. Social feasibility surveys assessed community attitudes, governance capacity, and conflict risk among 300 stakeholders in each candidate site. Dynamic ecosystem models simulating the reintroduction of keystone species, including lion, wild dog, and roan antelope, across a 50-year time horizon were developed and validated against reference savanna benchmarks from Benin and Chad. Results identify two sites with high combined ecological and social feasibility for pilot rewilding. Modeled ecosystem responses indicate significant vegetation heterogeneity restoration and enhanced carbon sequestration as co-benefits of rewilding within 25 years. Original theoretical contributions include a socio-ecological rewilding feasibility matrix applicable across sub-Saharan Africa. Keywords: rewilding, ecological restoration, Nigeria, savanna ecosystems, trophic restoration