Abstract:
Oti-Keran-Mandouri (OKM) is part of the elephant historical range and one of the priority corridors
proposed for elephant conservation in West Africa. However, its potentialities to be a functional
corridor are yet to be evaluated in a context of increasing anthropogenic pressure. This study aims at
assessing habitat biophysical patterns and fragmentation level. A multicriteria evaluation using fuzzy
logic was performed to model elephant habitat suitability and vegetation sampling conducted in 123
plots to describe the habitat. In each plot, the physical parameters of woody plants species were
recorded. Biodiversity indices, dendrometric parameters, and diameter structure were computed for
each habitat type and compared using Jaccard Index and Kruskal-Wallis test. Habitat fragmentation
was assessed using the hypsometric method. Apart from a core area located in the south-east, the
remnant good habitat is in small patches. Four habitats were distinguished based on their level of
degradation. There is a steady increase in habitat diversity from degraded habitat (Habitat 1) to primary
habitat (Habitat 4) with the Shannon index increasing from 0.83 to 1.43 bit. In all the habitats, trees are
evenly distributed with an evenness higher than 0.7. Dendrometric parameters are significantly different
from one habitat to another (P-value < 0.05) apart from the mean diameter and the average regeneration
rate. The suitable habitat for elephant constitutes only 31.5% of the area of OKM. The overall habitat
fragmentation is 84.74%. Regeneration rates make an eventual restoration possible but further
assessment of the socio-ecological system is needed.
