Abstract:
The bushmeat trade,orthe illegal acquisition and exchange ofwild meat,has long been recognised asa
severe problem in forest biomes,but receives little attention insavann as,perhaps due toamisconcepti on
that bushmeat hunting isalow-impact subsistence activity.Though data onimpacts are scarce,indications
are that bushmeat hunting isawidespread problem insavannas,with severe impacts onwildlife popula-
tions and wildlife-based land uses.The impacts ofthe bushmeat trade insavannas vary from edge-effects
around protected areas,todisproportionate declines ofsome species,tosevere wildlife declines inareas
with inadequate anti-poachi ng.Insome areas,bushmeat contribu tes significantlytofood security,but
these benefits are unsustainable,and hunting iswasteful,utilising afraction ofthe wildlife killed orof
its financialvalue obtainable through tourism,trophy hunting and/or legal game meat produc tion.The
bushmeat trade appears to bebecoming increasingly commercialised due toelev ated demand inrural
areas, urban centres and even overseas cities.Other drivers for the trade include human encroachment
of wildlife areas;poverty and food insecurity;and inadequate lega lframew orks toenable communities
to benefitlegally from wildlife,and tocreate incentives for people todesist from illegal bushmeat hunting.
These drivers are exacerbated byinadequate wildlife laws and enforcement and insome areas,political
instability. Urgent efforts are needed toaddress these drivers and rais eawareness among local and
international governments ofthe seri ousness ofthe threat.Failure toaddress this will result insevere
wildlife declines widely inAfrican savann as,with significantecological,economic and social impacts.
