Overview

The unsustainable, illegal, commercial bushmeat crisis is one of the most significant threats to wildlife populations in Africa today. Bushmeat is important culturally, economically and nutritionally throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa, and the enormous demand for bushmeat threatens both wildlife populations and human livelihoods.

ABCG members and partners have played critical roles in addressing the drivers of and solutions to the bushmeat crisis, through innovative, holistic approaches. ABCG meetings and events have addressed collaborative action planning; human, wildlife and domestic animal health and disease; food security linkages; capacity building for conservation in East Africa and updates from the field.

Activities & Achievements

Bushmeat Briefings

Recently, ABCG has held a series of Bushmeat Briefings that showcase various regions and approaches to the bushmeat issues. From celebrating 10 years of the Bushmeat Crisis Task Force’s service to featuring new approaches and developments around the world, these Briefings have brought together key players and the broader community to continue to examine the bushmeat issue and its solutions. For further information about each, click the links below.

23 June 2009 – Celebration and Reception on Building Capacity and Networks for Bushmeat Solutions

• Dr. Heather E. Eves and Natalie Bailey (Bushmeat Crisis Task Force)
• Dr. Richard Ruggiero (US Fish & Wildlife Service Division of International Conservation)
• Vincent Opyene (Uganda Wildlife Authority and MENTOR/BEAN)
• Iregi Mwenja (East African Wildlife Society-Kenya and MENTOR/BEAN)
• Dr. William Olupot (Wildlife Conservation Society-Uganda and MENTOR/BEAN)

19 Nov 2009 – Bushmeat in Eastern and Central Africa

• Iregi Mwenja (BEAN Field Officer)
• Carolyn A Jost (Purdue University)
• Lesley Daspit (Purdue University)

29 Jan 2010 – Alternatives, Enforcement and Capacity-Building: Examples of Key Solutions to Bushmeat Challenges

• Heidi Ruffler (Zoological Society of London)
• Philip Alegranti (US Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement)
• Nancy Gelman (US Fish & Wildlife Service Wildlife Without Borders-Africa)
• Dr. Heather E. Eves (Virginia Polytechnic and State University and Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies)