What is the Bush What is the Bush Meat Crisis?Meat Crisis?

Candace StevensCandace Stevens

Definition of Bush MeatDefinition of Bush Meat

Wild animals that are Wild animals that are slaughtered for sale slaughtered for sale and production of and production of meat.meat.

Monkeys, apes, Monkeys, apes, gorillas, antelope, gorillas, antelope, rodents, bonobos, rodents, bonobos, chimpanzees, and chimpanzees, and other primate species.other primate species.

HistoryHistory

Part of a very old African Part of a very old African cultureculture

Hunter-gatherersHunter-gatherers Bushmen are the oldest Bushmen are the oldest

inhabitants of southern inhabitants of southern AfricaAfrica

Hunted antelope but had a diet mainly consisting Hunted antelope but had a diet mainly consisting of fruits, nuts and rootsof fruits, nuts and roots

Didn’t over-huntDidn’t over-hunt Small populationSmall population

The Main FactorsThe Main Factors

Modern technologyModern technology – – introduction to automatic introduction to automatic weaponry.weaponry.

DeforestationDeforestation – opens up the – opens up the rainforest to bush meat rainforest to bush meat hunters providing easy hunters providing easy access and transportation.access and transportation.

Rise in populationsRise in populations – too – too many people and not enough many people and not enough food to feed them all.food to feed them all.

Traditional ways lostTraditional ways lost – in – in Africa the traditional ways Africa the traditional ways weren’t harmful to the weren’t harmful to the ecosystem and animals in it.ecosystem and animals in it.

The ProblemThe Problem

Not enough people to feed.Not enough people to feed. Not enough ways to get food Not enough ways to get food

to people.to people. Limited resources.Limited resources. Not enough public Not enough public

acknowledgement.acknowledgement. Not enough legislation.Not enough legislation. Whose problem is it?Whose problem is it? Poaching makes it worsePoaching makes it worse

Where?Where?

Mainly in Africa – “bush”Mainly in Africa – “bush” Areas of dense forest, Areas of dense forest,

where there are not many where there are not many ways to transport goods.ways to transport goods.

South AmericaSouth America South East AsiaSouth East Asia High risk zones are mainly High risk zones are mainly

in areas opened by in areas opened by deforestationdeforestation

The RealityThe Reality

Apes are very similar to Apes are very similar to humans.humans.

Apes share within 96 and 99 Apes share within 96 and 99 percent of a human’s percent of a human’s genetic code.genetic code.

The orphans that are too The orphans that are too young to be turned into bush young to be turned into bush meat are neglected and left meat are neglected and left to starve to death.to starve to death.

Natural HabitatNatural Habitat

The natural habitat is being The natural habitat is being destroyed.destroyed.

Conservation efforts are not Conservation efforts are not protected enough.protected enough.

Poachers pose an added Poachers pose an added threat.threat.

Deforestation again allows Deforestation again allows destruction making it easier destruction making it easier for hunters.for hunters.

StatisticsStatistics

As many as 8,000 apes die As many as 8,000 apes die for bushmeat each year.for bushmeat each year.

Bush meat in markets only Bush meat in markets only accounts for 40% of the total accounts for 40% of the total eaten.eaten.

In the Congo basin between In the Congo basin between 1 and 5 million tons were 1 and 5 million tons were consumed in 2003.consumed in 2003.

Biological ConcernsBiological Concerns

People come in close People come in close contact with exotic contact with exotic animalsanimals

Simian foamy virusSimian foamy virus Could mutate into Could mutate into

something more harmful something more harmful or humans could become or humans could become resistantresistant

SIV infection was SIV infection was reported in 26 different reported in 26 different species of African species of African nonhuman primates.nonhuman primates.

Biological ConcernsBiological Concerns

Disease is almost inevitableDisease is almost inevitable Open air markets are Open air markets are

breeding ground for bacteria breeding ground for bacteria and disease.and disease.

Outbreak of a common Outbreak of a common human parasite called human parasite called TrichinellaTrichinella

Chances are Trichinella Chances are Trichinella could infect humans who eat could infect humans who eat the meat of an animal with it.the meat of an animal with it.

Frontier IssuesFrontier Issues

The Ebola virus has been The Ebola virus has been found in monkeys that are found in monkeys that are being slaughtered for bush being slaughtered for bush meat.meat.

The dangers of it spreading The dangers of it spreading are very high.are very high.

Using GPSUsing GPS

New technology in GPS New technology in GPS and GIS are helping and GIS are helping take down Bush Meat take down Bush Meat camps.camps.

Locate camps in relation Locate camps in relation to markets and take to markets and take them down.them down.

Solutions?Solutions?

ConservationConservation Raise public awarenessRaise public awareness Stop the bush meat tradeStop the bush meat trade Create international lawsCreate international laws LegislationLegislation Animals need protective Animals need protective

rightsrights Stop deforestationStop deforestation

FutureFuture

Organizations: Organizations: Convention of Biological Convention of Biological

DiversityDiversity The Food and Agriculture The Food and Agriculture

Organization of the United Organization of the United StatesStates

The International Tropical The International Tropical Timber OrganizationTimber Organization

Works CitedWorks Cited Avasthi, Amitabh. “Bush-meat Trade Breeds New HIV” Avasthi, Amitabh. “Bush-meat Trade Breeds New HIV” New ScientistNew Scientist, August 7, 2004, v183, , August 7, 2004, v183,

i2459: p8(1). Infotrac, College of the Sequoias Library, Visalia, CA, 28 Feb, 2006. i2459: p8(1). Infotrac, College of the Sequoias Library, Visalia, CA, 28 Feb, 2006. http://galegroup.com/http://galegroup.com/

Verrengia, Joseph B. “As Poachers Purge Jungles, Species Face Extinction.” Verrengia, Joseph B. “As Poachers Purge Jungles, Species Face Extinction.” Los Angeles Los Angeles TimesTimes, July 23, 2000, Part A: pg 1. News Bank Info Web. College of the Sequoias Library, , July 23, 2000, Part A: pg 1. News Bank Info Web. College of the Sequoias Library, Visalia, CA, 28 Feb 2006. http://proquest.umi.comVisalia, CA, 28 Feb 2006. http://proquest.umi.com

Peterson, Dale, Peterson, Dale, Eating ApesEating Apes. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 2003.. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 2003.

Images CitedImages Cited Ammann, Karl. “Dead Ape Family.” Photograph. 2003. Ammann, Karl. “Dead Ape Family.” Photograph. 2003. Eating ApesEating Apes. Dale Peterson.. Dale Peterson. Ammann, Karl. “Deforestation.” Photograph. 2003. Ammann, Karl. “Deforestation.” Photograph. 2003. Eating ApesEating Apes. Dale Peterson.. Dale Peterson. Ammann, Karl. “Ape Head.” Photograph. 2003. Ammann, Karl. “Ape Head.” Photograph. 2003. Eating ApesEating Apes. Dale Peterson.. Dale Peterson. Ammann, Karl. “Orphan Ape.” Photograph. 2003. Ammann, Karl. “Orphan Ape.” Photograph. 2003. Eating ApesEating Apes. Dale Peterson.. Dale Peterson. Ammann, Karl. “Small Apes.” Photograph. 2003. Ammann, Karl. “Small Apes.” Photograph. 2003. Eating ApesEating Apes. Dale Peterson.. Dale Peterson. Ammann, Karl. “Open Air Market.” Photograph. 2003. Ammann, Karl. “Open Air Market.” Photograph. 2003. Eating ApesEating Apes. Dale Peterson.. Dale Peterson. Ammann, Karl. “Frozen Fetus.” Photograph. 2003. Ammann, Karl. “Frozen Fetus.” Photograph. 2003. Eating ApesEating Apes. Dale Peterson.. Dale Peterson. Ammann, Karl. “Chained Ape.” Photograph. 2003. Ammann, Karl. “Chained Ape.” Photograph. 2003. Eating ApesEating Apes. Dale Peterson.. Dale Peterson. Bushmeat Camps. “Map of Bushmeat camps and markets.” Graphic. 2005. The Bushmeat Camps. “Map of Bushmeat camps and markets.” Graphic. 2005. The

Canadian Ape Alliance. March 15, Canadian Ape Alliance. March 15, 2006.http://www.great-apes.com/projects/gis/bushmeatcrisis.htm2006.http://www.great-apes.com/projects/gis/bushmeatcrisis.htm

Rainforest Live. “Skulls of apes.” Photograph. Rainforest Live. “Skulls of apes.” Photograph. Rainforest Live – The Bushmeat Rainforest Live – The Bushmeat TradeTrade. Paignton Zoo. March 15, 2006. http://rainforestlive.org.uk/index.cfm?. Paignton Zoo. March 15, 2006. http://rainforestlive.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=639articleid=639