Bushmeat is meat obtained through the hunting of wild animals, especially meat taken from tropical forests by local people. Tropical forests are sometimes called “the bush,” so meat taken from such forests is known as bushmeat. Meat from wild animals has long served as an important part of the diet and culture of forest-dwelling people in many parts of the world. However, hunting for bushmeat has become a threat to some animals.
People hunt hundreds of animal species (kinds) as bushmeat. These animals include amphibians, birds, insects, mammals, and reptiles. Some of the most commonly hunted mammals are antelopes, pigs, large rodents, and primates (monkeys and apes).
Bushmeat hunting has increased dramatically since the 1990’s. It has become an important business activity, worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Bushmeat is particularly important in West and Central Africa. In the Congo River Basin alone, people may sell as much as 5 1/2 million tons (5 million metric tons) of bushmeat each year. The bushmeat trade also has become important in Asia and South America.
The boom in the bushmeat trade has many causes. For example, the number of people who live in tropical regions has increased, increasing the demand for food. In addition, powerful firearms have made hunting easier. The number of logging roads has also increased in many areas. These roads provide easy access to the forest for hunters.
Overhunting for bushmeat threatens a variety of animal species. Bushmeat hunting is especially threatening to elephants and to primates, including bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. Each of these apes is endangered.
The bushmeat trade also harms local people. Overhunting for trade is a threat to people who rely on bushmeat for food. The loss of animals also damages forests, because many plants rely on animals to spread their seeds. In addition, the bushmeat trade has helped to spread disease-causing microbes among people. These microbes include Ebola virus and possibly human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS.
Conservation groups and governments work to reduce harm done by the bushmeat trade. They educate hunters about the dangers of overhunting. They also provide alternative sources of food and employment to people who depend on bushmeat.
See also Poaching; Wildlife conservation.
