Trade in wild mammalian species for traditional medicine in Ogun State, Nigeria

There is an increasing demand for wild mammals and their parts for use in traditional medicine (TM), hence a need to document the extent of utilisation of the animals involved as a measure of the impact on biodiversity conservation.This paper examines diversity of species in trade for use in TM in Ogun State, Nigeria, the quantity of each species traded for utilisation over a period of time, and seasonal fluctuations in abundance and utilisation of species. A multi-stage stratified random sampling technique was employed. An open-ended questionnaire was administered on vendors in selected market stalls for six consecutive markets days in each of dry and rainy seasons.The study identified thirty species traded for utilisation, 13 were listed in CITES and Nigerian Decree 11(1985). Mean sales figure per dealer in a month was 61.6 ± 6.9 and 48.1 ± 5.8 carcasses in dry and rainy seasons respectively.