Pandam Wildlife Park (6742)
Nigeria, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Pandam Wildlife Park
Central coordinates: Latitude: 8.6667, Longitude: 9.0500
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 175 to 315
Area of KBA (km2): 330.48467
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The park is located beside the Lafia–Shandam road to the north of the Benue river. Two rivers, the Dep and the Li, drain the park, and join before emptying into the Benue. The land slopes gradually southwards and forms a basin, Pandam Lake—a wetland complex of approximately 2 km². The vegetation of the park is typical Sudan–Guinea Savanna with gallery forests in riparian areas. The savanna includes Burkea africana–Combretum woodlands in the south, Detarium microcarpum–Combretum woodlands in the central area and Isoberlinia doka woodlands to the north. Other trees include Parkia biglobosa, Butyrospermum paradoxum, Gardenia aqualla and Daniellia oliveri. On the scattered inselbergs, which dot the northern part of the park, Piliostigma thonningii is the dominant tree. Tree species of the gallery forests include Afzelia africana, Ceiba pentandra and Raphia sudanica. The wet season lasts from April to October and annual rainfall is 1,000–1,500 mm.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Table 3 for key species. At least 217 species have been recorded, including a few observations of Falco naumanni. The gallery forests are one of the northernmost locations in the country where Guinea–Congo Forests biome (A05) species occur; Ceratogymna elata at least used to be present in small numbers. Fifteen species of this biome have been recorded (see Table 3) including the nationally rare Scotopelia bouvieri. Scotopelia peli also occurs and has been recorded breeding. Large flocks (1,000+) of Dendrocygna viduata spend the dry season on Pandam Lake, at which Vanellus crassirostris is known to breed. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals of global conservation concern which occur, or at least used to do so, include Trichechus senegalensis (VU), Hippotragus equinus (LR/cd) and Syncerus caffer (LR/cd).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | nature conservation and research
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 3 | |
| Forest | 56 | |
| Savanna | 40 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Threats include poaching, livestock-grazing and bush-burning by pastoralists. There are, or at least were, also plans for the reclamation of flood-plain habitat for the development of rice-growing schemes in areas adjacent to the park. Human population pressures around the park are growing, bringing threats from encroachment and illegal fishing; all other lakes in the area are severely overfished. There is a management plan for the park which remains unimplemented for lack of resources.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Intentional use: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Intentional use: large scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Trend Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Milego (1997).