The Illegal Bushmeat Trade in Eastern Africa Bushmeat The bushmeat - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Illegal Bushmeat Trade in Eastern Africa

Bushmeat

The bushmeat trade is the illegal

• verhunting of wildlife for meat and

income.

Bushmeat Challenges

Wildlife across Eastern Africa is declining rapidly both inside and outside protected areas.

Demand for protein and income derived from wildlife is driven by :

• rapidly increasing human populations,
• poverty,
• political instability,
• inadequate law enforcement,
• inadequate awareness or transparency
• inadequate awareness or transparency

MENTOR (Mentoring for Environmental Training in Outreach and Resources conservation) Fellowship Program on illegal bushmeat exploitation in eastern Africa in eastern Africa

www.mentorfellowshipprogram.org

Map of Eastern Africa

Bushmeat Assessments

April – May 2008 conducted by eight MENTOR Fellows

• Kenya, Southern Sudan,

Tanzania and Uganda

• National Assessments
• Site Level Assessments
• Multiple methods applied
• Aim to identify and evaluate

current bushmeat trade, potential solutions & partners

• Site Level Assessments

potential solutions & partners

Bushmeat in Eastern Africa

In Kenya, bushmeat hunting is widespread in and around protected areas as well as on private land. Snare hunting is widespread. Wildlife policy is under review and going by the current debate, this is no sign that bushmeat management will be given the bushmeat management will be given the attention it deserves. In Uganda, studies have shown declines in wildlife populations in protected areas due to hunting. Understanding of wildlife laws and value require revision.

In Tanzania, trophy and subsistence hunting is legally allowed in wildlife areas outside of national parks. This type of consumptive utilization is controlled through quotas and permits, however with limited capacity to manage illegal hunting. In Southern Sudan, hunting with rifles is widespread where many citizens rely on bushmeat for protein and where many citizens rely on bushmeat for protein and income with limited capacity to manage over-hunting.

Commonalities and Differences

Commonalities

• Inadequate awareness (diseases, wildlife laws,

impact of bushmeat) across the region

• Inadequate enforcement of laws, capacity and

technology

• Decreasing wildlife population
• Decreasing wildlife population
• Common drivers
• Common hunting tools
• Inadequate collaboration among stakeholders

Differences

• Values of wildlife from legal perspectives
• Policies and laws

Strategies to Address the Eastern Africa Bushmeat Trade Conceptual Model

Bushmeat Solutions

Alternatives for both protein and income are essential to change current trends in illegal, over-hunting of wildlife.

Enhanced awareness by individuals and institutions on how the illegal and unsustainable bushmeat trade will impact future economics and ecology of their livelihoods.

Improved policy, legislation and regulation of legal wildlife use is necessary if future generations of citizens in Africa will be able to have wildlife as part

• f their heritage to pass on to the next

generation.

Partnerships that bring together government authority, private industry, non-profit organization and local community ingenuity and effort can assure the future of wildlife populations in Africa and the many services they provide.

A change in awareness, behavior and responsibility must be developed among all sectors of society to address this important conservation and cultural challenge.

www.bushmeatnetwork.org

Photo credits:

Contact

Photo credits: USAID Ephraim Mwangomo Michael Gelman Evanson Kariuki Peter Amum College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka WWF-US Heather Eves

Thanks! We look forward to your participation in addressing bushmeat issues.