The role of bushmeat in a West African agricultural landscape

Abstract

There is little information on the changing role of bushmeat hunting in the agricultural areas of West Africa. We assessed the status and role of bushmeat hunting and rural consumption in three communities in Ghana, through household surveys (n 5 250), and interviews with hunters (n 5 69), eatery owners (n 5 18) and bushmeat traders (n 5 3). Hunting was embedded within dynamic livelihood strategies, with two broad categories of hunters identified: a large group who targeted pests on their own farms using traps, and a smaller group of professional hunters. The professional hunters included a group of young men who hunted with dogs, and another group of older firearm hunters who tended to be members of Hunters' Associations. All professional hunters reported a decline in bushmeat availability and expressed concerns about the viability of hunting as a livelihood. The frequency of consumption of bushmeat increased with distance from the region's main urban centre, Kumasi, but bushmeat was not found to be a major component of the diet in any of the villages. Few men self-identified as hunters, although bushmeat hunting continued to play an important role in the rural economy, primarily for crop protection. Conservation efforts need to consider the full spectrum of hunting behaviours. Specific measures should target forest-based hunters, who are more likely to damage forest ecosystems than crop pest hunters but also show more concern for the sustainability of hunting, and commitment to hunting as an institution.

Mammalian biogeography and the Ebola virus in Africa

“…We considered that, because members of these rodent genera are so numerically important in the bushmeat trade in central and West Africa (Alexander et al. ), their inclusion in the analysis was warranted. Thus, our taxonomic criterion was defined so that it discarded groups very far from any suspect reservoirs (e.g.…”

“…We also included pouched rats Cricetomys and grasscutters Thryonomys in our preliminary list, although there is no current evidence of their relationship with the Ebola virus. We considered that, because members of these rodent genera are so numerically important in the bushmeat trade in central and West Africa (Alexander et al 2014), their inclusion in the analysis was warranted. Thus, our taxonomic criterion was defined so that it discarded groups very far from any suspect reservoirs (e.g.…”

A Framework for Assessing Impacts of Wild Meat Hunting Practices in the Tropics

“…1). Hunting often serves as an economic buffer in times of hardship Cawthorn and Hoffman 2015), though it can also be a primary source of income (Milner-Gulland et al 2003;Pangau-Adam et al 2012;Alexander et al 2015). The relative importance of wild meatand hence the benefit accrued from hunting can vary temporally; hunting is more likely to occur when crop harvests have been poor, during lulls in agricultural activity (Shively 1997;Brashares et al 2011;Wilfred and MacColl 2015), and when wildlife abundance is particularly high, such as annual migrations of ungulates in East Africa (Holmern et al 2007;Lindsey et al 2011).…”

Working Paper No.47 - Conserving and eating wildlife in Africa

“…Village farmers: Across Africa many sedentary rural people still supplement their diets by eating wildlife (Alexander et al 2014;Foerster et al 2012;Rentsch & Damon 2013;Schulte-Herbruggen et al 2013). Their repeated hunting in the same area typically depletes large-bodied wildlife close to home (Coad 2008;Muchaal & Ngandjui 1995;Ngnegueu & Fotso 1998;Van Vliet & Nasi 2008).…”