Bushmeat hunting around a remnant coastal rainforest in Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

For most Ivorian regions quantitative data on the exploitation of bushmeat by local communities are scarce. We studied hunting patterns around Dassioko Sud Forest Reserve, a remnant coastal forest in south-eastern Côte d'Ivoire, through a 6-month survey of nine restaurants, in three villages surrounding the Reserve. We collected quantitative and qualitative data on the bushmeat brought to restaurants, as well as the final price for which it was sold. We calculated mean prices over the study period and extrapolated to the whole year. A total of 376 mammals (98%) and eight reptiles (2%) were sold in the restaurants surveyed. Rodents and small antelopes represented 74% of the mammals sold, probably reflecting the fact that reproductive strategists persist more successfully in heavily hunted and/or agricultural landscapes, such as the area around the Reserve. Our conservative estimate of the total biomass of bushmeat harvested annually around the Reserve is c. 40,428.03 kg (c. 11,886 animals), with a monetary value of c. FCFA 47,728,516 (c. USD 93,485.75 ), yielding an annual income of c. USD10,387.31 per person, which exceeds the mean annual income of cocoa farmers (FCFA 466,032/USD 932) more than tenfold. Although the sustainability of the bushmeat trade in the surveyed area remains unknown, we showed that hunters predominantly used cable snares, the Reserve was significantly affected by hunting activities (c. 53% of the bushmeat originated there), and larger mammalian species had been extirpated. A lack of effective protection exposes the Reserve to multiple illegal activities, including hunting, a situation exacerbated by the political crisis in 2010.

Saving rodents, losing primates—Why we need tailored bushmeat management strategies

“…The largest proportions of traded and consumed animals were non‐endangered rodents and duikers, and mainly hunters primarily targeted vulnerable and endangered primates and duikers (Figure 2; Appendix Table A.2.1). The observed distribution of abundant and vulnerable species matches well to descriptions from similar landscapes (Gonedelé Bi et al., 2017; Kouassi et al., 2017; Petrozzi et al., 2016; Schulte‐Herbrüggen et al., 2013). Considering this extensive use of abundant species paired with the taxon‐specific drivers, broad strategies to reduce trading and consumption of bushmeat may in reality address abundant taxa and fail to target rare species.…”

“…This may explain the comparably high catch frequencies of the rare red colobus P. badius (Figure 2). Hence, proportions should be treated with some caution, even when they match well to descriptions from similar landscapes (Gonedelé Bi et al., 2017; Kouassi et al., 2017; Petrozzi et al., 2016; Schulte‐Herbrüggen et al., 2013). Overall, we expect the systematic bias to be minimal because our estimates of primate utilization closely match those of another study from this region (Kouassi et al., 2017).…”

Bushmeat hunting around Lomami National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo

“…For Kindu market data, we extrapolated volumes in number of carcasses, biomass and monetary value of the annual harvest from the mean number of carcasses traded per week per vendor (from vendor recall), multiplied by number of vendors, similar to Gonedelé et al (2017). We extracted mean biomass for each species from Kingdon (2006), assuming equal distribution of male and female individuals amongst the carcasses.…”

Of meat and ritual: Consumptive and religious uses of pangolins in Mali

“…In many parts of Africa, wildlife is locally consumed for meat (Ingram et al, 2021). Hunting and consuming wild animals for meat is common in rural areas across the continent, and their bodies are openly sold in markets, along roadsides, and in restaurants or ‘chopbars’ (Eniang et al, 2008; Gonodelé Bi et al, 2017; Ingram et al, 2018). In some places, animal body parts are also used in traditional remedies purported to treat a variety of afflictions or bring good fortune (Bakarr et al, 2001; De Surgy, 1993; Imperato, 1977; Kedzierska & Jouvelet, 2006; Marshall, 1998; Sale, 1981).…”