6 markets studied all over Gabon, over a period of 4 years.
Over 92 species found, including mammals, reptiles and birds.
Mammals : Manatee, Sun-tailed Guenon, Forest Elephant, Mandrill, Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Genet, Hippopotamus, Water Chevrotain, Leopard, Monkeys, Duikers.
Reptiles : Nile Crocodile, Dwarf Crocodile, Monitor Lizard, Leather back Turtle, Python.
Birds : Palm-nut Vulture, Grey Parrot, Great Blue Turaco, Hornbill, Fish Eagle, Crowned Eagle.
Darwin Initiative, Gabon National Parks Office, Department of Fauna and Hunting, Ministry of Water and Forests.
Commercial hunting … made easier by forestry company road construction into areas previously inaccessible to vehicles … industrial logging continues to expand into untouched forest.
Name :
Olly
Title :
Email :
ohymas[AT SIGN]wcsgabon[DOT]org
Address :
Project Gibier,
Wildlife Conservation Society,
BP 7847,
Libreville,
Gabon .
For more information, see www.wcs.org/africa
Wildlife Conservation Society International
Conservation,
Africa Program,
2300 Southern Blvd.,
Bronx, NY 10460, USA
The Wildlife Conservation Society's International Conservation program saves wildlife and wild lands by understanding and resolving critical problems that threaten key species and large, wild ecosystems around the world.
• Site-based conservation
• Research
• Training and capacity-building
• New model development
• Informing policy
• Linking zoo-based and field-based conservation
Contributions to this project can be sent to the WCS Africa Program in NY (address above)
From market to dish
Bushmeat is a growing problem in Africa ; Gabon is one of the few Central West African countries that can be said to have forests where animals can still be seen without too much trouble. The Bushmeat Study (“Project Gibier”) started in 2000 to monitor the change in bushmeat sales and consumption in Gabon and to help the government find ways to manage the trade.
The eating of bushmeat in Gabon is an important source of protein for villagers where meat from domesticated animals is prohibitively expensive. This contrasts with the towns and cities of Gabon, where bushmeat is a luxury that only the well off can afford for special occasions.
Though it is not possible to completely stop the hunting of animals by villagers for their own consumption, the commercial hunting done by outsiders could be better controlled by informing communities of what has happened elsewhere and allowing villagers to have more say in who can and cannot hunt in their traditional hunting territories.
Commercial hunting for bushmeat has been made easier by forestry company road construction into areas previously inaccessible to vehicles. This problem is exacerbated as industrial logging continues to expand into untouched forest.
With little other alternative to bush meat as either a source of protein and money, the commercialisation of bush meat will continue. Without any real means of controlling it, easy to reach animal populations are being overexploited to feed the bushmeat trade, which in turn threatens the livelihoods of the people who live from the bushmeat trade be it directly as a source of food for subsistence or indirectly as a source of earnings.
Fresh Mandrill
©
Kevin Ndong
Since the year 2000, with significant support from the Darwin Initiative, Project Gibier has been collecting information on species sold in markets all over Gabon. This has allowed the team to produce a database where information on each sale has been stored and from which a summary can be quickly produced, even by people with little computer experience.
Household consumption surveys of bushmeat have been carried out, which will allow us to look at changes in consumption habits by households over time.
Through the project young Gabonese field assistants have been taught how to collect data, create databases, use computers, and create leaflets and posters. Courses have been taught on biodiversity, the bushmeat crisis and the use of computers with university students who represent the future of conservation in Gabon.. The training includes a two to three week field course which gives the students a rare opportunity to go out into the field for the first time.
More information can be found here.
Plus de information peut etre trouvais ici.
