Bushmeat

Bushmeat (from the French "viande de brousse") hunting is common in sub-Saharan Africa's dense forests. It refers to the hunting of any animal which is not traditionally regarded to be a game animal, but is nonetheless edible. The meat may appeal to poor city dwellers with few choices, for example. Bushmeat animals include rats, antelopes, and forest elephants, among others. For centuries bushmeat has been an important source of protein for indigenous African populations.

Related Topics:
French - Hunting - Africa - Game - Rat - Antelope - Forest elephant

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To the horror of animal rights and Great ape personhood advocates, bushmeat hunters began targeting gorilla, chimpanzee, and bonobo, as well as other primate species. This undid decades of conservation efforts. 'The bushmeat trade' refers to the sale of any bushmeat species, though Western sources tend to focus on the great apes.

Related Topics:
Animal rights - Great ape personhood - Gorilla - Chimpanzee - Bonobo - Primate - Conservation - Great ape

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As this terminology suggests, the issue of bushmeat hunting is highly politicized, with practically no support for the practice outside the African forests and cities where it is done. Many international efforts to stop it have been launched, especially in the US, UK, and Canada. In the countries where the hunting occurs, orphaned apes (deemed too fragile to survive on their own, but also deemed too small to be worth shooting and cutting up, to the hunters) are raised and returned to the wild as part of these efforts.

Related Topics:
Terminology - US - UK - Canada

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In Cameroon, where red gorilla populations were especially endangered, the World Wildlife Fund launched an education campaign to teach children about Koko the gorilla, who was part of a number of psychology experiments in an American zoo. As awareness of the intelligence of gorilla species and their ability express feelings and care for pets spread, local support for gorilla hunting fell at about the same time.

Related Topics:
Cameroon - Red gorilla - World Wildlife Fund - Koko - Experiment - Zoo

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