Where is bushmeat most popular?

Angola hosts Africa’s biggest ivory and bushmeat market. It is a transit point for much of the trade, with ivory smuggled from across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

What is bush meat consumption?

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, eating the meat of wild animals has been getting a bad press. This included banning the sale of wild animal meat, also known as bushmeat.

What is the main reason people hunt bushmeat?

Why is it so important to isolated communities? Bushmeat is wildlife and the meat from the forest, or “bush.” It provides a primary source for animal protein and the majority of rural forest families. It is sold for public consumption, and can make up a significant source of revenue.

Why is bushmeat a problem?

Bushmeat brings humans into close contact with wildlife, creating a prime path for the transmission of diseases like Ebola, as well as new emerging infectious diseases. Disease spread is especially worrisome between humans and closely related African great ape species.

Where does the bushmeat come from in Ghana?

He dumps the steaming carcass onto the blood-spattered slaughter slab. The bushmeat at Atwemonom comes from rural areas like Barekese (north of Kumasi), the road between Kumasi and Sunyani, and Konongo, which is on the way down to the capital Accra.

Why is bushmeat a problem in West Africa?

Concerns also exist that animal diseases can be transmitted to humans in the course of hunting and preparing bushmeat for sale (zoonotic diseases). The unsustainable nature of harvesting bushmeat and the risk for human health after consumption creates a serious threat to long-term food security in various countries in Africa.

What kind of animals are in Ghana bushmeat market?

The antelope – a female bushbuck – arrived at dawn in a white plastic sack out of a rickety van. It was delivered along with 15 grasscutters (greater cane rats, which look like large guinea pigs and are about a foot long), eight giant rats and two hares. The market woman supervising the delivery had the butchers count everything twice.

Is it illegal to hunt bushmeat in Ghana?

The only sanction for illegal hunting is being fined a (usually modest) sum of money. In Ghana, the Forestry Commission regulates hunting. They issue licences to hunters and permits to the market women who sell bushmeat.