Growing Demand for 'Bushmeat' Threatens Great Apes
8/12/99
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Title: Growing Demand for 'Bushmeat' Threatens Great Apes
Source: Cable News Network
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: August 12, 1999
Byline: Gary Streiker
LOMIE, Cameroon (CNN) -- Deep in the Central African forest hunting
camp, gorilla skulls are trophies for Rettet den Regenwald.
He started hunting from the camp more than a year ago. His targets
then were mostly smaller animals, such as porcupines, monkeys and
pangolins.
When he's lucky, den Regenwald says, he can shoot a gorilla or a
chimpanzee.
Every ape he kills is a bushmeat bonanza.
In most of central Africa, the demand is growing for the meat of
forest animals, popularly known as "bushmeat." The most desirable
bushmeat comes from endangered species, including elephants,
chimpanzees and gorillas.
Thousands of hunters earn their living in the bushmeat trade. They
hunt animals that are supposed to be protected by law, but government
officials seem unaware of the growing crisis.
"If that awareness cannot be created in the capitals, it's very hard
to tell the little guy not to pull the trigger," said wildlife
photographer Karl Amman.
Some conservationists are trying to find ways to reach the hunters.
A village chief says no one has killed a gorilla or chimp in his
village in the last year.
That's because the hunters were told they could earn money by
attracting tourists eager to see the animals in their natural
habitat.
The concept works only if the surviving apes could be conditioned to
allow human beings to approach them. Most apes associate people with
danger.
If the hunters fail to realize revenue from the venture, they are
likely to return to the bushmeat business.
With advice from conservationists, a few logging companies are trying
to keep poachers out of their forest preserve and stop their truck
drivers from delivering bushmeat to the cities.
"What we can do in this area is have an effect on the trade. This is
what we can do. We can reduce the trade," says Philippe Auzel, a
conservation advisor.
A few people are making desperate attempts to stop the spiraling
carnage of the apes, but many conservationists believe it is
inevitable that gorillas and chimpanzees will become extinct outside
protected parks and reserves.
Even in some protected area, poaching is increasing. The
conservationists say only government intervention can save the great
apes.
"If the government don't (sic) get behind it, nothing can be done.
Nothing." former bushmeat hunter Joseph Melloh says.