Community-Based Biodiversity Inventory, Conservation Awareness and Threat Assessment in Ozuzu, Choba, Okrika, and Oyigbo, Rivers State, Nigeria

Biodiversity in countries like Nigeria are usually hindered by factors, such as population growth, habitat fragmentation, high poverty index perception, overexploitation, and pollution. Consequently, the objective of this paper was to assess community-based biodiversity inventory, conservation awareness and threat assessment in Ozuzu, Choba, Okrika, and Oyigbo, Rivers State, Nigeria using appropriate standard procedures. Results revealed low to moderate conservation awareness (31.5–52.6% understood "biodiversity" terminology), with Okrika showing the highest awareness due to marine resource dependence. Key threats included habitat loss (deforestation, bush burning), hydrocarbon pollution (notably in Okrika/Oyigbo), and unregulated hunting. Sacred Forests in Ozuzu emerged as de facto conservation zones but lacked legal protection. The study highlights urgent needs to: (a) integrate community knowledge into conservation policies, (b) enforce regulations against overexploitation, and (c) expand environmental education. Findings provide a baseline for targeted interventions to protect Rivers State’s biodiversity amid anthropogenic pressures.