SALT LICK (Natural salt lick)

Salt-licks are places where natural mineral salt from beneath the earth surface sips out to the outermost surface, where they can be utilized by animals. These salt forms an integral part of the animals diet, as these salts aids digestion and maintaining salt balance of the body. There are varied salt licks but mainly; Natural salt lick and the man made or artificial salt lick.
The photos above are natural salt lick, these photos were taken at the North Eastern part of Nigeria; Gashaka-Gumti National Park at Taraba State- Mayo Jarandi. The hoof-print belongs to a duiker; this salt lick is shaded from the typical tropical sunshine, thus, the temperature is maintained at fairly cold compared to other areas within the same habitat. The salt lick harbors different animal species including herbivores like, bush bucks, water bucks, western hartebeests, yellow backed duikers, the red backed duikers, the roan antelopes, the savannah and water buffalos, elephants, red river hogs etc. and carnivores. Its was observed that some wild cats laps water on several occasions.
The visits to salt licks by different animals of different feeding habits is of different purpose; carnivores were observed to have laid in wait for potential prey, as such the salt lick is a reliable source of prey of different sizes and species.
Salt-licks that seem such a beautiful site for observing wild beasts is now harnessed by poachers to trap and kill wildlife. we can help reduce the constant depopulating wildlife by education; educating locals, country-side dwellers, buffer zone dwellers and enclaves on the need for conservation. Wildlife conservation should be incorporated into pupils to high school study program to help them better understand the need for conservation  from a tender age.