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Society for Conservation Biology 16th Annual Meeting July 14-July 19 2002
co-hosted by DICE and the British Ecological Society
Abstracts for Symposium
Four
Mitigating unsustainable hunting and
the bushmeat trade in tropical forest countries: using science to change practices
Keynes Lecture Theatre 1
Thursday 18th July: 10.15 - 12.15
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Conference Home Page | Symposia
Details
(BLOCK CAPITALS indicate the presenting author)
10.15 - 10.30
BENNETT, ELIZABETH L., JOHN G. ROBINSON, and HEATHER EVES. Wildlife Conservation
Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York 10460, USA (ELB, JGR), <lizwcs@pd.jaring.my>.
Bushmeat Crisis Task Force, 8403 Colesville Road Suite 710, Silver Spring, MD 20910,
USA (HEE).
THE SCALE OF HUNTING AND WILD MEAT TRADE IN TROPICAL FORESTS TODAY
For millennia, tropical forest peoples have been hunting for their food. Recent changes
such as loss of forest and increasing access to remaining areas, increasing human
population densities, increasing use of modern technologies, and increasing commercialization
of hunting have led to rapid increases in hunting rates. Whether the meat is eaten
by the forest hunter and his family, or by the town consumer, total consumption of
wildlife is huge. In Sarawak, the Brazilian Amazon and central Africa, estimated
annual harvests of wild meat are approximately 23,500 tonnes, 67,000-164,000 tonnes,
and 1-3.4 million tonnes respectively. The productivity of tropical forests for wild
meat is low, and offtake rates exceed this in many areas. E.g., in central Africa,
wildlife is being extracted from the forest at more than six times the sustainable
rate. Hence, wildlife populations have been greatly depleted in forests throughout
the tropics, and in many areas vulnerable species have been extirpated. Pilot projects
show that local solutions are feasible, but major changes in awareness, commitment
and the wider policy arena are critical if wildlife populations throughout much of
the tropics are to be conserved, and if local people are not to face potential nutritional
and cultural degradation.
10.30 - 10.45
ABERNETHY, KATE, Ernestine Ntsame Effa, Malcolm Starkey, Paul Telfer, Sally
Lahm, Pauwel de Wachter and Emile Mamfoumbi-Kombila. Wildlife Conservation Society
<wcsgabon@uuplus.com> and Department of Water and Forests, Libreville, Gabon.
SCALE AND DYNAMICS OF THE WILD MEAT TRADE IN GABON
In countries where bushmeat is a traditional protein source and hunting is supported
by a broad constituency, regulations should protect wildlife from overexploitation,
whilst allowing people to hunt. The 'field of action' most accessible to managers
is the marketplace, since markets are fixed places where regulatory action can be
taken. During 2000-2001, we surveyed the total trade in bushmeat in 15 markets serving
around 70% of the population of Gabon. We documented over 100,000 sales of bushmeat
from 75 species, including 27 nationally protected species, worth around $1,500,000.
Information recorded included: species, cut, quantity, and price of meat sold; the
number of traders and vending tables present, and the prices of alternative meats,
poultry and fish. We determined the range of species sold in each market, and the
average price for each cut and species compared to alternatives. We show an inverse
relationship between bushmeat prices, farmed meat prices, and distance to market.
Whilst bushmeat is cheaper than farmed meat in remote areas, it is expensive in Libreville,
reflecting a cultural preference. Management must be sensitive to people’s ability
to choose their diet. Solutions must be locally appropriate, whilst allowing for
development of a national policy to regulate bushmeat trade.
10.45 - 11.00
CLAYTON, LYNN MARION. T.H. Huxley School of Environment, Earth Sciences &
Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BP, UK. <dr_lynn@manado.wasantara.net.id>
SCALE AND DYNAMICS OF THE WILD MEAT TRADE IN SULAWESI, INDONESIA.
An extensive meat trade exists in Sulawesi’s endemic, endangered wildlife species
(babirusa, Sulawesi wild pig, anoa and macaques). Long-term datasets are described,
including a six year survey of the end market and records of all transactions by
a wild pig dealer over a 10 year period. Together, these data allow us to build up
a comprehensive picture of the economics of the wild pig trade in North Sulawesi
province: the effectiveness of conservation interventions in controlling the illegal
component of the trade, the effects of major road improvements and the economic crisis
of 1997-8, changes in the behaviour of individual hunters and dealers, and the influence
of the broad range of meats sold in the end market on the wild pig meat trade. Analysis
of these data show that the number of babirusa (an endangered, endemic, legally-protected
species of wild pig) on sale in the end market is strongly influenced by law enforcement
activities, but that dealer habituation is reducing the effects of these interventions.
Practical policy recommendations for improved wildlife law enforcement are also presented.
11.00 - 11.15
BODMER, RICHARD and Pablo Puertas. Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology,
University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury CT2 7NS, UK, <R.Bodmer@ukc.ac.uk>(RB),
Wildlife Conservation Society-Peru Program, Calle Callao 673, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru,
<pepuertas@hotmail.com>(PP)
DENSITY DEPENDENT RESPONSES TO HUNTING IN AMAZONIAN MAMMALS
We studied the impact of bushmeat hunting of mammals in the Yavari valley in northeastern
Peru between 1991-1999. Responses of mammals to hunting were studied in non-hunted,
lightly hunted, and heavily hunted sites. Amazonian artiodactyls had similar abundances
between all three sites, but gross reproductive productivity was greater in heavily
hunted sites than lightly hunted sites. Females appear to be compensating for greater
mortality using density dependent cues of food, which allows them to adjust reproductive
rates in heavily hunted sites and maintain similar abundances to lightly hunted sites.
Mammals that are more vulnerable to overhunting include lowland tapir and large primates,
which have lower abundances in heavily hunted sites compared to lightly and non-hunted
sites. These mammals have lower rates of rmax than artiodactyls and can not compensate
for higher mortality from hunting. We propose that predator-prey ecology of mammals
determines the potential variance in reproductive rates, which in turn determines
whether species have sufficient density dependent responses to compensate for human
hunting. Species that compensate for human hunting can be used more as bushmeat,
whereas, mammals that can not compensate for overhunting should not be so used.
11.15 - 11.30
ELKAN, PAUL, Sarah Elkan, Antoine Moukassa and Frederic Glannaz. Wildlife Conservation
Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10460, USA (PE, SE, AM) <wcskabo@uuplus.com>;
Congolaise Industrielle des Bois, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (FG).
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT IN TIMBER CONCESSIONS IN NORTHERN REPUBLIC OF
CONGO
Of the approximately 2.05 million km2 of forests in the Congo basin, 7.3% are classified
as protected areas. Conservation efforts focus on these, but achieving their objectives
is inextricably linked to sound management of surrounding lands since protected areas
are embedded in a landscape of resource exploitation. Many forestry concessions are
subject to commercial poaching networks that use company infrastructure to extract
wildlife products from remote forests. In 1999, the Wildlife Conservation Society
began working with a private timber company (Congolaise Industrielle des Bois) and
the Government of Congo to improve wildlife management in three concessions adjoining
Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park (NNNP).Company regulations were modified to ban
the use of snares, the export of bushmeat from the concession, and hunting of protected
species. Conservation zones were established. Education programmes were undertaken,
and alternative protein sources initiated. Progress was assessed through detailed
socioeconomic and ecological monitoring. Wildlife conservation measures have been
extended to 500,000 ha, ensuring protection of key habitats adjacent to NNNP. Snare
rates have decreased, and endangered species receive protection over a broad area.
Long-term gains include protection of NNNP, conservation of the wildlife resource
for subsistence use, and increased potential for certification of companies and improved
corporate image.
11.30 - 11.45
JOHN E. FA and DAVID WILKIE. Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, Les Augres Manor,
Trinity, Jersey JE3 5BF, UK < jfa@durrell.org>. Wildlife Conservation Society,
c/o 18 Clark Lane, Waltham, MA 02451-1823, USA <dwilkie@wcs.org>.
REDUCING DEMAND BY DEVELOPING ECONOMICALLY-ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVES TO WILDLIFE MEAT
In Central Africa today, over 30 million people eat over one million metric tons
of wildlife each year, the equivalent of over four million cattle. Given present
population growth rates, demand for meat is likely to increase by 3% per year and
double in 20 years. As most wildlife populations are not growing as fast as human
populations, hunting and eating of bushmeat will become increasingly untenable, unless
a significant portion of demand for meat is supplied by domestic livestock. Why people
eat bushmeat is controversial. Some argue that bushmeat is a deeply rooted cultural
preference and cite some consumers’ willingness to pay a price premium over domestic
meat for the privilege of eating bushmeat, and its important role in ceremonies and
as a village icon for urban families. Others believe that most consumers are price
sensitive and typically choose the most affordable meat available in local markets.
This paper reports preliminary results from Gabon and Equatorial Guinea contrasting
the roles that culture, economics and access to substitutes play in determining household
demand for bushmeat.
11.45 - 12.00
HEATHER E. EVES and Michael Hutchins. Bushmeat Crisis Task Force, 8403 Colesville
Road, Suite 710, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA. <HEves@aza.org>
BUILDING A CONSTITUENCY FOR CHANGE: THE BUSHMEAT CRISIS TASK FORCE
The Washington DC-based Bushmeat Crisis Task Force is an international collaborative
effort designed to collect and disseminate information about, and encourage support
for, solving the illegal commercial bushmeat crisis. The BCTF consists of more than
30 organizations and hundreds of bushmeat experts and professionals from numerous
sectors (conservation, academic, media, industry, field personnel). BCTF's goals
are to: (i) raise awareness; (ii) establish information sharing mechanisms ; (iii)
facilitate engagement of African partners and stakeholders; and (iv) promote collaborative
planning, fund-raising and action among the members and associates of the BCTF. To
this end, the BCTF continues successfully to raise the profile of the bushmeat issue
among national and international governmental and non-governmental agencies, and
news media. BCTF is creating a Bushmeat Hotspots Map showing core problem areas and
projects working on solutions. BCTF is an active partner of the Africa-based CITES
Bushmeat Working Group, and fosters education programs through African wildlife colleges.
It has developed collaborative action plan, with eight solution areas each supported
by a sub-committee responsible for tracking action. The BCTF is a unique model for
collaboration regarding key conservation issues.
12.00 - 12.15
Discussion led by Caroline Tutin, entitled "Science and the bushmeat trade:
where next?"
The SCB2002 pages are maintained by Christine Eagle
email: C.M.Eagle@ukc.ac.uk
Conference email: scb2002@ukc.ac.uk
Last updated: 30.06.02