Over 12 months, the project will deploy autonomous acoustic recorders to monitor vocalising fauna, particularly birds and other soniferous species, as indicators of ecosystem health. By capturing long-term, non-invasive data on species richness, temporal activity, and habitat use, PAM offers a robust, scalable tool to evaluate ecological integrity across sites. In parallel, structured questionnaire surveys will be administered to local stakeholders, including park staff, community members, and conservation NGOs, to gather perceptions of PA effectiveness, threats to biodiversity, and levels of community engagement.

The main objectives of the project are:

1. To compare biodiversity indicators across differently managed PAs using standardised acoustic data.

2. To assess the relationship between PA governance models and conservation effectiveness, integrating ecological and social data.

3. To build local capacity for bioacoustic monitoring by training field teams and fostering institutional collaboration.

4. To inform national conservation policy through evidence-based recommendations on PA management strategies.

This study is one of the first in Nigeria to integrate PAM with socio-ecological assessments across a diversity of PA types. It seeks to contribute not only to academic understanding but also to practical conservation by identifying management practices that support biodiversity persistence. The findings will be communicated to relevant authorities, conservation practitioners, and local communities to strengthen the role of PAs in achieving national and global biodiversity targets.