Sacred lakes as conservation sites for crocodiles. Case study of Esiribi sacred lake in Niger delta, Nigeria

The Biseni Clan is located in Central Bayelsa State, Nigeria. It is a small tribe represented by Southeast Ijaw speaking people. The Biseni people occupy the upper regions of the Niger Delta River. They perceive their lands and particularly their lakes as sacred and are home to the crocodiles. This study examined the perception of residents around Esiribi Sacred Lake to investigate the effectiveness of sacred lake in biodiversity conservation with respect to crocodiles. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information from the people of Biseni on the presence and type of crocodile found in Esiribi Lake. Focus group discussions were carried out with the community members while Key Informant Interviews (KII) were conducted with the Lake Priest and some of the elders conversant with history of the lake. A total of 175 adults residents, comprising of 96 males and 74 females having formal education were interviewed. The people of Biseni regard the crocodiles in Esiribi Lake as sacred animals and live in harmony with them. The number of crocodiles in the lake seems to have increased over the years as a result of the sacredness the people accord to the species. The two most common species are the West African dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) and Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus). Fishing is only allowed in the lake biennially. We conclude that communal governance should be strengthened for the continued protection of crocodiles and other species in and around the lake as well as a reduction in human activities that could threaten the species conservation.