Gendered and Ethnic-based Evaluations of Wildlife Crime in Nigeria

Wildlife crime, also known as wildlife trafficking or illegal wildlife trade (IWT), involves unlawful, unregulated, and unsustainable activities involving the capture, use, acquisition, and killing of animals or plants. Gender is significant in wildlife crime participation, practices, outcomes, and motivations. Beyond the gender dimensions of IWT, ethnic-based underpinnings are beginning to find space in wildlife literature, though they remain widely under-reported, especially in developing contexts. However, gender and ethnic-based underpinnings are often under-reported in wildlife literature, especially in developing contexts. Qualtrics sample size determination formula generated a sample size of 270 taken from a study population of 212,779, representing the students’ population in six tertiary education institutions, two each located in each of the three major ethnic groups, namely Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. Using descriptive survey design and stratified random sampling technique, we found that males participate more in IWT than females (mean value - 4.052 for males; females - 2.661). Human-wildlife risk perception differs between males and females (mean value-3.730), and cultural diversities in perception and participation promote IWT. Ethnicity and gendered preferences for specific wildlife species are high among males and females (mean value-4.120). The ordinal regression test showed a weak relationship between ethnicity and wildlife demand and use (coefficient value - 0.1918, p-value - 0.231), indicating ethnicity has a non-significant effect on wildlife demand and use. Kruskal-Wallis test showed a non-significant difference in the distribution of wildlife crime among the three major ethnic-based groups (p=0.114). Tertiary education institutions integrate gender- and ethnic-based wildlife crime subjects into their academic curriculum, as well as the research and training of students and staff. The study confirms gender and ethnic-based dimensions of wildlife crime, which can help expand research, education, and knowledge production to other jurisdictions, where such evaluations are lacking, to enhance integrated and sustainable wildlife management.