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Supplies of bushmeat for
livelihoods in logging towns in the Congo Basin
Julius Chupezi
Tieguhong and Janusz Zwolinski
Forestry, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of
KwaZulu-Natal, P Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
chupezi@yahoo.co.uk.Tel: +27-33-2606007.
Fax: +27-33-2606005.
Accepted
9 June, 2009 |
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The
focus of this study is on the importance of bushmeat to the
economies of 99 hunting households in two logging towns,
northern boundary of the Lobeke National Park, East Province
of Cameroon. In this area, bushmeat was the major source of
daily animal protein and an estimated 37 960 wild animals
were killed each year or 104 animals per day. In general,
62% of the hunted animals were sold for cash income while
38% were consumed by the hunters and their families. An
annual gross income from the bushmeat to hunters was
estimated at 234 058 548 CFA Francs (US$ 469 117) while
gross revenue from 11 other income generating activities
accessed by the hunters was only 4.5% of the income from
hunting. Various costs represented 69.4% of the gross
hunting revenues. Average hunting income was twice higher
than the income of a junior technician and about the same as
that of a senior technician working at SEFAC (logging
company). The income of hunters at the higher end of the
income range was comparable to those of mid-career SEFAC
managers. Such a lucrative business provides economic
incentives to hunting despite all the suppressive measures.
Moreover, the importance of a large bushmeat market is
rarely detected and seriously taken into account when
designing conservation policies aimed at protecting wildlife
and fighting against poaching. The study stresses the need
for empathetic approaches that favour more deliberate
development and conservation policies while dealing with
bushmeat issues in logging towns of the region.
Key
words:
Game, food security, hunting,
poaching, wildlife conservation. |
