The bushmeat trade is the illegal, over-hunting of wildlife for meat and income.
Already in West and Central Africa this trade has resulted in declines and local extinctions of many wildlife species and the economic, cultural and ecosystem services they provide. In addition, a number of human health threats have emerged from the trade in bushmeat including linkages to HIV/AIDS, ebola and the threat of anthrax.
Bushmeat trade is not regulated or managed by any authority. Economic benefits from the trade go mainly to hunters and traders. If current trends continue, future generations of citizens in Africa will not have the opportunity to access benefits from wildlife. Using wildlife to meet protein and income demands cannot be supported in the long term.
The immediate threat of loss of economic opportunity, cultural and ecological services, and other values to a wider community must be addressed today.
(Taken From: www. bushmeatnetwork.org)
Here are some images from the Bushmeat Trade for you to get an idea of what we are talking about:
Smoked Gorilla Meat
The sad part is each day they do this – more species head to extinction. The biodiversity is reduced and thus entire ecosystems suffer and the communities that rely on these for their survival. It’s a viscous cycle. In the end it’s the people that are in these areas that lose out and the world as a whole is the poorer for the loss of these precious creatures. The only winners in this are the profit makers – not anything else.
There are no winners…..!
Little or no income, and subsequent food shortages, create this problem. The governments responsible need to confronted and challenged. Food can be grown, small farming communities and co-operatives set-up, keeping livestock, hens, goats, etc., and growing crops, to provide and support the lives of families.