What is the Bush Meat Crisis? Candace Stevens

Definition of Bush Meat  Wild animals that are slaughtered for sale and production of meat.  Monkeys, apes, gorillas, antelope, rodents, bonobos, chimpanzees, and other primate species.

History  Part of a very old African culture  Hunter-gatherers  Bushmen are the oldest inhabitants of southern Africa  Hunted antelope but had a diet mainly consisting of fruits, nuts and roots  Didn’t over-hunt  Small population

The Main Factors  Modern technology – introduction to automatic weaponry.  Deforestation – opens up the rainforest to bush meat hunters providing easy access and transportation.  Rise in populations – too many people and not enough food to feed them all.  Traditional ways lost – in Africa the traditional ways weren’t harmful to the ecosystem and animals in it.

The Problem  Not enough people to feed.  Not enough ways to get food to people.  Limited resources.  Not enough public acknowledgement.  Not enough legislation.  Whose problem is it?  Poaching makes it worse

Where?  Mainly in Africa – “bush”  Areas of dense forest, where there are not many ways to transport goods.  South America  South East Asia  High risk zones are mainly in areas opened by deforestation

The Reality  Apes are very similar to humans.  Apes share within 96 and 99 percent of a human’s genetic code.  The orphans that are too young to be turned into bush meat are neglected and left to starve to death.

Natural Habitat  The natural habitat is being destroyed.  Conservation efforts are not protected enough.  Poachers pose an added threat.  Deforestation again allows destruction making it easier for hunters.

Statistics  As many as 8,000 apes die for bushmeat each year.  Bush meat in markets only accounts for 40% of the total eaten.  In the Congo basin between 1 and 5 million tons were consumed in 2003.

Biological Concerns  People come in close contact with exotic animals  Simian foamy virus  Could mutate into something more harmful or humans could become resistant  SIV infection was reported in 26 different species of African nonhuman primates.

Biological Concerns  Disease is almost inevitable  Open air markets are breeding ground for bacteria and disease.  Outbreak of a common human parasite called Trichinella  Chances are Trichinella could infect humans who eat the meat of an animal with it.

Frontier Issues  The Ebola virus has been found in monkeys that are being slaughtered for bush meat.  The dangers of it spreading are very high.

Using GPS  New technology in GPS and GIS are helping take down Bush Meat camps.  Locate camps in relation to markets and take them down.

Solutions?  Conservation  Raise public awareness  Stop the bush meat trade  Create international laws  Legislation  Animals need protective rights  Stop deforestation

Future  Organizations:  Convention of Biological Diversity  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States  The International Tropical Timber Organization

Works Cited  Avasthi, Amitabh. “Bush-meat Trade Breeds New HIV” New Scientist, August 7, 2004, v183, i2459: p8(1). Infotrac, College of the Sequoias Library, Visalia, CA, 28 Feb,  Verrengia, Joseph B. “As Poachers Purge Jungles, Species Face Extinction.” Los Angeles Times, July 23, 2000, Part A: pg 1. News Bank Info Web. College of the Sequoias Library, Visalia, CA, 28 Feb  Peterson, Dale, Eating Apes. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 2003.

Images Cited  Ammann, Karl. “Dead Ape Family.” Photograph Eating Apes. Dale Peterson.  Ammann, Karl. “Deforestation.” Photograph Eating Apes. Dale Peterson.  Ammann, Karl. “Ape Head.” Photograph Eating Apes. Dale Peterson.  Ammann, Karl. “Orphan Ape.” Photograph Eating Apes. Dale Peterson.  Ammann, Karl. “Small Apes.” Photograph Eating Apes. Dale Peterson.  Ammann, Karl. “Open Air Market.” Photograph Eating Apes. Dale Peterson.  Ammann, Karl. “Frozen Fetus.” Photograph Eating Apes. Dale Peterson.  Ammann, Karl. “Chained Ape.” Photograph Eating Apes. Dale Peterson.  Bushmeat Camps. “Map of Bushmeat camps and markets.” Graphic The Canadian Ape Alliance. March 15, apes.com/projects/gis/bushmeatcrisis.htm apes.com/projects/gis/bushmeatcrisis.htmhttp:// apes.com/projects/gis/bushmeatcrisis.htm  Rainforest Live. “Skulls of apes.” Photograph. Rainforest Live – The Bushmeat Trade. Paignton Zoo. March 15,