Bushmeat Exploitation in Tropical Forests: an Intercontinental Comparison.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Wildlife Management

Background:

• Bushmeat hunting is a significant source of protein for millions in tropical forests.
• Understanding extraction and production rates is crucial for assessing wildlife sustainability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To calculate and compare bushmeat extraction and production rates in the Amazon and Congo basins.
• To assess the sustainability of mammal exploitation in these regions.

Main Methods:

• Estimated extraction rates from anthropological studies on per capita consumption.
• Calculated production rates using intrinsic rate of natural increase, mammal biomass, and forest area.
• Applied extraction-to-production (E:P) mass-balance equations and harvest models.

Main Results:

• Species exploitation rates were significantly higher in the Congo (E:P ratio of 2.4) than the Amazon (E:P ratio of 0.081).
• 60% of Congo Basin mammal taxa were exploited unsustainably, compared to none in the Amazon.
• Estimated annual bushmeat consumption: 0.15 million tons in Neotropics and 4.9 million tons in Afrotropics.

Conclusions:

• Current bushmeat extraction in African rainforests is more precarious than previously estimated.
• Mammals in the Congo Basin must produce 93% of their body mass annually to sustain current extraction rates.
• Urgent conservation and management strategies are needed to address unsustainable bushmeat harvesting.