Bushmeat Crisis

APS Conference

MGSA Updates

Other Related Sites

BUSHMEAT NEWS

September 2008

Some Strategies For The Control Of Illegal Trade And Trafficking In Endangered Species Of Fauna And Flora In West And Central Africa

Edem A. ENIANG

Dept. of Forestry and Wildlife, University of Uyo, P.M.B 1017, Uyo, Nigeria.

& Biodiversity Preservation Center (BPC) , #93 Ndidem Usang Iso Road, H.E.P.O.Box 990, Calabar, Nigeria

Being a report submitted to the Nigerian Presidential Investigation Panel into Illegal Trade and Trafficking In Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna

Summary

Illegal trade and trafficking in endangered species of fauna and flora is an ugly trend that has been fuelled by increasing demands for exotic species of plants and animals worldwide. The increasing urge to get rich quick by many and decline in economic fortunes of west and central African nations has not helped matters. Therefore, quite a number of people living below the poverty line can easily be enticed to do a number of illegal things to survive. Nigerians as well as foreigners partake in these trades without fear especially as our wildlife laws are too weak, ambiguous, contradictory or obsolete.

For these reasons and more, mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, fishes, insects and plants as well as their parts and products have been illegally exported from the region for many years.

The current preponderance of New Government Zoos, Bird Parks, Private Wildlife Sanctuaries, Private Animal Laboratories, Private Zoos and collections etc in the developed world has fuelled the international demands for endangered species of animals and even plants in recent times.

In these direction, these nations loses enormous foreign exchange and stand a chance of loosing some species to extinction apart from loosing credibility as CITES signatory nations. More research and monitoring; review and updating of wildlife legislations, law enforcement, promotions of transboundary cooperation as well as provision of alternatives to bush meat, employment and social security are recommended.

Introduction

Current Trends In Endangered Species Trafficking In The Region

The Southeastern Corner of Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon all the way to Gabon, Central Africa as far as the Congo is reputed as being the last strong hold of the tropical rainforests ecosystem and as such one of the most important as far as biological diversity is concerned in the sub-region. Thus, it is regarded as a `Biodiversity Hotspot' for the tropical African sub-region and part of the continuous Guinean forests zone. The area contains an array of endangered and endemic species of Fauna and Flora, which are highly priced in the international Pet trade markets. Apart from the protected areas within the region, other forests are also known to habour a number of endangered and endemic species of fauna and flora.

Some of these species command great prices in hard currencies. This is because, the rarer the species, the harder it is to obtain a specimen and the greater the demand for it in zoos, sanctuaries, laboratories and captive breeding facilities. These very rare species are among the critically endangered, endangered and threatened taxa.

Among the faunal classes, Great Apes such as Gorillas, Chimpanzees and Bonobos as well as Primates eg Mandrills, Drills, Guenons, Mangabeys, Colobus monkeys and Prosimians, etc., are highly exploited in their natural habitats. Other charismatic mammalian species such as the big Cats are also traded for various reasons including their peculiar attributes. Birds such as Psitacines (parrots, macaws, etc), Cranes and Eagles are sold mostly for their talking or ability to mimic humans and plumes, while Reptiles such as snakes are traded for traditional, cultural and scientific purposes as well as their skins and to some extent as bush meat. It is now possible to see just nearly any species in trade.

Hunting And Poaching For Bushmeat As A Catalyst Fuelling The Trade

The Governments' warden and game guards has remained the most significant force fighting poaching, Bush meat trade and trafficking in endangered species as well as forest conversion and destruction in the region. This is evidence from the fact that it is only in the territory of the National Parks that one can still find intact natural forests. Despite the huge sizes and number of the Parks, as well as inadequate manpower, the protection departments has continued to make significant effort with encouraging results. The presence of increasing numbers of confiscated animals in the region testifies to it.

However, the increased protection activities within Nigeria eg Cross River National Park and Cameroon eg Korup National Park in recent times have led to a remarkable decline in the total bush-meat supply at the regional Market. Since most of the trade is conducted in black market style, an ordinary eye may never behold or appreciate it unless shown by experts. Further more, the fact that there is more intact forest on the Cameroonian side and less human population with no national park (protected forest area) especially Ejagham forest and Takamanda forest reserves; poachers from both nations prefer to hunt in this areas and supply their products to the Nigerian side with a larger market including live animals which are by products of hunting and other less understood activities. This can be confirmed by cross checking the sources of some of the animals kept by some captive breeding institutions in our area.

Trade Routes And Species Affected

The issue of trade route cannot easily be determined on paper as there are no permanent routes as far as `the Business' is concerned.

Poachers and traffickers operate like smugglers of contrabands and are always changing their routes and styles; eg See Eniang and Akpan (2001). Almost any species of plants and animals can be found in trade depending on the area and season. The most commonly encountered are the parrots, primates, snakes, amphibians and some plants e.g. orchids. The worst is the fact that different nations have varied laws and legislations whereas an animal or plant may be categorized differently in different nations of the region.

For example Parrots' trafficking exists in Calabar Nigeria and the birds come into town almost on weekly basis from local communities. Also, Parrots come from across the sea from Bioko Islands and are landed at Oron beach in Akwa Ibom State, Adiabo Beach in Odukpani L.G.A. of Cross River state as well as other outlets all in Nigeria.Finally, some more parrots often came into Calabar (Bokobiri Community) from Cameroon, Bioko Islands, or Equatorial Guinea and the Parrots Island of Nigeria through the sea and are flown out from the Calabar International airport to Lagos, Kano Nigeria and elsewhere.

Almost any faunal species of reasonable size can be trapped (using wire or metal snares), or shot using single or double barrel 12' bore guns crafted locally with common `AA' cartridge. Adult Primates such as Chimpanzees, Mangabeys, Drills, Mona and Putty nosed guenons, Preuss's red colobus monkeys, etc have been traded for bush meat in the area, while their young, often caught in the process are traded as pets. Forest duikers (antelopes), large carnivores, Bush pigs, Dwarf crocodiles, Amphibians, Tortoises, Rock Pythons, Royal pythons etc, are found once in a while being sold as bush meat in local markets while their live young are exported for various purposes. It is worthy to note that in our area, a portion of the larger bulk of bush meat and live animals especially young primates (Orphans) from the Bush meat trade coming out of the forest, actually come from the across the border eg Korup National Park (KNP) in Cameroon into Nigeria, thus indicating a thriving cross border trade. This observation was communicated to Andrew Dunn (Park Advisor of KNP) in year 2001.

Those Involved In The Trade

It must be emphasized here that it is not all very rare and large or even small-medium sized mammals which are intercepted overseas that actually left the country through the activities of illiterate poachers and hunters or rural folks alone but with the active connivance of some well educated nationals as ell as expatriates, Conservation NGOs, Researchers and Individuals including those of them who have free access to government and their officials and are in the good books of government. Some of such projects and /or persons even enjoy a lot of publicity and support from Government. It is such groups and persons that have adequate international connections as well as sophisticated equipment (Tranquilizers and Dart Guns, immobillons etc.), which are used for advanced game capture. It is also worthy to note that even most Government’s competent authority to conserve biodiversity (eg The National Parks) who actually need and deserve to own these kind of equipment for their operations, do not have them. Thus, with that level of sophistication traffickers can easily capture and sedate any species without stress and with their colleagues in multi-national, oil companies etc, who fly small airplanes and helicopters can easily get such animals to safe locations and from there ferry them in special animal boxes out of the country. To date, a number of endangered fauna and flora species have left the region only to be intercepted abroad to the shock and consternation of national Governments and law-abiding citizens of the region.

Some Strategies For Control

Employment and Alternative Employment

The creation and provision of employment, alternative employment opportunities to the teeming populations of unemployed youths, hunters and poachers will go a long way to discourage poachers, hunters, etc from continuing in their trade which results directly in pet animals which end up in the international markets or intercepted once in a long while in transit.

Provision of Livestock Meat and Alternatives to Bush-meat

It is a stark reality that majority of people of the area have little or no access to basic animal based protein hence there is a serious need to provide alternative sources of protein. Supporting and promoting the "Only-livestock" initiative of the BPC, Nigeria, can achieve this. All well meaning conservation organizations should cease to think about enforcing wildlife preservation laws but focus on conservation strategies that will favour a harmonious coexistence of man and biodiversity.

Conservation Education and Awareness Creation

All efforts must be made to promote conservation education and awareness creation on the need to reduce hunting/poaching at all levels whereby, decision makers, general public, schools and local communities must be carried along. This will empower them to frown at their community being used as a trade route by poachers and illegal traffickers in endangered species. People will also be uncomfortable to be seen eating endangered species eg great apes, which are almost humans. It is quite a alarming to see that of all the noise about bushmeat on the Net and publications, little or no information reaches the grass root communities.

Attitude Enrichment Initiatives

It has been observed that the trade and consumption of various kinds of bushmeat including great apes by some tribal people is basically a matter of attitude which are borne from age long tribal sentiments, myths, beliefs and social pressure. Therefore, a well-organized attitude enrichment initiative formulated to meet peculiar social strata and circumstances without prejudice to local culture and traditions will bring the much-needed attitude to appreciate wild animals beyond the soup pot. Such strategies if carefully executed with involvement of natives and sustained can bridge the gap between aesthetic appreciation and consumptive uses.

Recommended Steps To Mitigate The Trend

More Research and Field Monitoring

Research is the `bed rock' of any scientific endeavour and the present assignment of the panel should recommend to government to constitute research and monitoring units in the various relevant government establishments to carry out a continuous monitoring of identified trade routes, entry and exit points in order to stem the trade and arrest culprits. It will be a wise decision if in addition, national Governments can constitute an independent team of very reliable and competent Nationals who do not fret at, or fear Expatriates and foreigners in each territory, to quietly monitor the activities of this groups of people as well as Natives especially those of them involved with Biodiversity Conservation or related activities and report to the government.

Review, Update and Enforce Endangered Species Laws

In Nigeria as an example, most wildlife laws and related legislations are obsolete, ambiguous, contradictory or outdated, thereby making it almost impossible to enforce them effectively. Therefore, efforts must be made to straighten out such laws to enhance effective enforcement. In this direction, the National Parks Service through its various parks must be empowered through effective funding to promote protection activities. They need adequate logistical equipment, (e.g. communication, transport and safety gears, etc) as well as provision of incentives to deserving operatives via scholarships, promotions etc. Creating the enabling environment for staffers of protected areas to execute their work will enhance effective conservation.

Promote Proactive Trans-Boundary Cooperation

All concerned Nations, organization and individuals should strive to promote proactive trans-boundary co-operation between nations for eg Nigeria and Cameroon viz, the 2 National Parks (Cross River and Korup which Are contiguous to some extent can for m a bases or collaborative work). Also, Joint Patrols, Park Management activities, and collaborative research with exchange of information and personnel will boost their success, especially in anti trafficking anti-poaching operations as well as transboundary community/parks relationship.

Conclusion

In view of the fact that many west and central African nations including Nigeria are CITES signatory nations, effort should be made to stem the trade and trafficking in endangered species by putting in place efficient policing especially at local and international airports while law enforcement agencies be sensitized to understand and enforce CITES regulations in their various nations while CITES must ensure that export of live animals and plants are regulated to discourage the use of neighbouring countries as exit routes by those countries without adequate species numbers to meet their export quotas.

Top


	Home Aps News Bushmeat Apsconf MGSA Links