Diverse ecological resources have been associated with Tiv folklore, history and policy. Most frequently used are animals whose uniqueness in size, hierarchical position in the biological evolutionary ladder and food chain are useful criteria in understanding their role in Tiv culture. The educative role of folklore, the relevance of history in shaping the present and future policy justifies a biological approach towards an in-depth understanding of the salient ecological niche of these animals and the other resources utilized. Since ecological studies seek to relate the interactions between living things and their environment in space and time with the ultimate aim of sustainable utilization by man, understanding the impact of these ecosystem services or resources will shade more light on some aspects of Tiv culture. This paper aims at unravelling the ecological perspectives underlying the usefulness attached to these resources that have been used extensively based on observational knowledge that have accumulated over centuries.
Ecology, History, Policy, Folklore, Legend, Culture, Prehistoric Times, Tiv, Nigeria
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