Abstract

Heavy metal may enter into wildlife habitat through diverse sources such as automobile emissions, industrial releases and further activities. Exposure to heavy metal poisoning can affect the proper functioning of nervous structure which is made up of the spinal cord and brain in some wildlife species. It can equally cause compilation of distorted blood cells in animal tissues resulting to serious pain and organ weakening such as lungs, kidneys and liver coupled with other essential body part in wildlife species. The basic processes stimulating entry of heavy metals into the body of wildlife species can take two steps namely; contact and actual entry. The representation of the prospect of serious health effects in wildlife species, due to exposure to dangerous ecological components can best be described as wildlife health risk assessment. However, hazard identification, assessment of dose-response, assessment of level of exposure and risk characterization are basic steps involves in wildlife health risk assessment, but concentration of non-essential metals in soils in wildlife habitat can be assessed using geoaccumulation index. Enrichment factor technique can be used to measure areas contaminated with atmospheric aerosols, solid wastes, soil and sediments. Pollution index can be adopted in order to assess the level of heavy metals in wildlife habitat and composite index method can also be used to evaluate the quality of soils in wildlife habitat. Similarly, risk factor can be used as an indicator to measure water pollution, quality of sediments and soils in wildlife habitats. Therefore, it is imperative to increase the understanding of wildlife health risks assessment, as a precedence in wildlife habitat management due to nonstop increase in concentration of heavy metals in wildlife home range. Operational supervision of habitat utilized by wildlife species may stimulate vital influences towards supportive advancement in biodiversity conservation.

Keywords

risk assessment; wildlife health; anthropogenic activities; heavy metals; wildlife habitat; pollution