Impacts of hunting on tropical forests in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Although deforestation and forest degradation have long been considered the most significant threats to tropical biodiversity, across Southeast Asia (Northeast India, Indochina, Sundaland, Philippines) substantial areas of natural habitat have few wild animals (>1 kg), bar a few hunting-tolerant species. To document hunting impacts on vertebrate populations regionally, we conducted an extensive literature review, including papers in local journals and reports of governmental and nongovernmental agencies. Evidence from multiple sites indicated animal populations declined precipitously across the region since approximately 1980, and many species are now extirpated from substantial portions of their former ranges. Hunting is by far the greatest immediate threat to the survival of most of the region's endangered vertebrates. Causes of recent overhunting include improved access to forests and markets, improved hunting technology, and escalating demand for wild meat, wildlife-derived medicinal products, and wild animals as pets. Although hunters often take common species, such as pigs or rats, for their own consumption, they take rarer species opportunistically and sell surplus meat and commercially valuable products. There is also widespread targeted hunting of high-value species. Consequently, as currently practiced, hunting cannot be considered sustainable anywhere in the region, and in most places enforcement of protected-area and protected-species legislation is weak. The international community's focus on cross-border trade fails to address overexploitation of wildlife because hunting and the sale of wild meat is largely a local issue and most of the harvest is consumed in villages, rural towns, and nearby cities. In addition to improved enforcement, efforts to engage hunters and manage wildlife populations through sustainable hunting practices are urgently needed. Unless there is a step change in efforts to reduce wildlife exploitation to sustainable levels, the region will likely lose most of its iconic species, and many others besides, within the next few years.

Marine Mammals in Asian Societies; Trends in Consumption, Bait, and Traditional Use

“…Emerging studies indicate that some forests in Asia, unlike in Africa, are becoming devoid of wildlife as a consequence of overhunting rather than deforestation (Harrison et al, 2016). In a region where the bulk of the human population occupies coastal areas and relies heavily on aquatic resources, it can be assumed that this loss is likely being mirrored in the marine environment.…”

<b>Wildlife hunting by indigenous people in a Philippine protected area: a perspective from Mt. Apo National Park, Mindanao Island</b>

“…According to Harrison et al (2016), people hunt for three main reasons which include culture, food, and money. But, the significance of these motivations varies temporally and influences the hunting preference.…”

“…Issues and concerns towards an emerging threat such as wildlife hunting are often overlooked in the Philippines (Scheffers et al 2012;Tanalgo et al 2016). Wildlife hunting and trade are considered two serious threats to biodiversity worldwide and largely contributed to the decline of many wildlife species especially in the tropics (Rao et al 2005;Aiyadurai et al 2010;Harrison et al 2016;Benítez-López et al 2017;Hughes 2017). In Southeast Asia, wildlife hunting along with trade and poaching has caused declines of many wildlife species within and outside protected areas (Kaul et al 2004;Rao et al 2005;Corlett 2007;Nijman 2010).…”

Lessons from Research for Sustainable Development and Conservation in Borneo

“…Hunting is devastating for some fauna, particularly larger-bodied species whose declines can have serious impacts on forest ecology and functioning [13,14]. It is vital to limit hunting in protected areas and other habitats for sensitive wildlife.…”

“…It is vital to limit hunting in protected areas and other habitats for sensitive wildlife. Some national parks in Borneo, such as Lambir Hills National Park in Sarawak, Malaysia, are being severely degraded by poaching, with major declines of wildlife and a collapse of basic ecological services such as seed dispersal [14,15].…”