Conservation Status of Animal Species Used by Indigenous Traditional Medicine Practitioners in Ogbomoso, Oyo State

Aim: To document the indigenous knowledge of fauna species used in traditional medicine practices and to establish their conservational status.

Study Design: A questionnaire guided survey of the traditional uses of fauna species by the indigenous people of Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

Place and Duration of Study: Bioresources Development Centre, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria between March and December, 2016.

Methodology: A total of 43 participants were interviewed during the survey and constituted 4 hunters, 19 traditional medicine practitioner (TMP) and 20 trado-herbal traders (THT) as the study population. Animal species utilized for different traditional preparations, factors affecting the availability of these species all year round and respondents’ knowledge on conservational issues were recorded.

Results: 55 animal species (both wild and domesticated) were identified as being used for various traditional purposes. Twenty-two are listed as threatened in the Control of International Trade in Endangered Species listings. It also revealed 15 endangered 2 critically endangered, 2 vulnerable and 6 near threatened based on the International Union for the Conservation of nature red list. Hence, 18 fauna species are either threatened with extinction now or would be in the near future. The survey also revealed the lack of knowledge of the respondents on the ethics and or goals of conservation. However, it confirmed the declining availability of these vital raw materials for traditional medicine practices.

Conclusion: The wide acceptance of fauna-based traditional preparations for the health care needs of the vast population has resulted in the depletion of available animal species.