Central African species facing extinction due to bush meat hunting

AfricaYaounde - Large species such as gorilla and elephant could be wiped out within 50 years in Central Africa if bush meat hunting is not curbed but a blanket ban would be a disaster for the rural poor, a research body said Tuesday.

A report released by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) said that up to 1 million tonnes of bush meat is consumed annually in Central Africa.

"If current levels of hunting persist in Central Africa, bush meat protein supplies will fall dramatically," said Robert Nasi, one of the report's authors, "and a significant number of forest mammals will become extinct in less than 50 years."

However, the CIFOR warned that a blanket ban would have "dire consequences" for the rural poor.

The report said that bush meat provides up to 80 per cent of the protein and fat needed in rural diets and warned there was no ready substitute should bush meat be banned or supplies diminished through over-hunting.

The report's authors instead said that policies should be developed to both protect endangered species and allow sustainable hunting of common game.

One of the keys to resolving the problems face is to differentiate between rural poor hunting to survive and those using bush meat for commercial purposes, the report said.

"If local people are guaranteed the benefits of sustainable land use and hunting practices, they will be willing to invest in sound management and negotiate selective hunting regimes," said Frances Seymour, director general of CIFOR. (dpa)