Recipes for Survival_English_tcm46-28192

WSPA/APE ALLIANCERECIPES FOR SURVIVALdiets, not least because they are principally large, ground-dwelling birds and can occurat high densities.Almost all Asian turtles (as well as tortoises and terrapins) are hunted and barteredfor consumption, medicine and the pet trade (the only species left unreported are eitherexceptionally rare or believed extinct) (TRAFFIC, 1999). Softshell turtles command thehighest price per kilogram (up to six times that of lamb or chicken in India) and smallerindividuals are preferred because they have a higher proportion of cartilage andgelatinous skin and can be served whole in restaurants (TRAFFIC, 1999). Behler(1997) cites research from McCord that suggests one specimen of Cuora trifasciata isworth $10,000. Most meat is exported, with estimates of volume ranging from 50,000turtles daily (Behler, 1997) to 12 million annually (Salzberg, 1998). Wai-Neng Lau et al.(1998) described a 25-fold increase in turtles being imported to Hong Kong between1977 and 1996.Primates are among the most highly endangered species hunted for the bushmeattrade and are considered in section 4.3.4.5 OutlookTropical forests are relatively unproductive ecosystems and are more vulnerable toexploitation than other habitat types (Kümpel, 2005; Fa et al, 2005). Though intuitively,we might expect gradual declines in wildlife as a result of over-hunting, research hasshown that a sudden, unexpected collapse of forest populations is more likely – theboom-and-bust situation observed in some fisheries (Barnes, 2002). It is unlikely thatgovernments will tackle the bushmeat problem during the boom phase of goodharvests – they won’t perceive a problem until it’s too late (Barnes, 2002). Stochasticfactors such as low food availability or disease and other environmental catastrophesare circumstances in which such a collapse might be instigated (Barnes, 2002).Large herbivores, large carnivores and most primates are unlikely to persist inpermanently settled, multiple-use zones around national parks unless hunting isrestricted. Only small, rapidly reproducing animals such as rodents and small antelopesare likely to withstand the pressure from commercial hunting (Wilkie & Eves, 2001).3.5 Bushmeat supply, demand and price dynamics3.5.1 SupplyA recent study has shown that, in Ghana, people have increased their reliance onbushmeat as a result of depleted fish stocks, facilitated in part by EU-subsidised fleetsoperating in the region (Brashares et al, 2004). This has consequently led to abruptpopulation declines in 41 mammal species.Investigating the operation of a bushmeat commodity chain in Takoradi, Ghana, showedTHE BROADER BUSHMEAT ISSUEthat the primary trade route was from commercial hunters (who received the largestfinancial benefits), via wholesalers to chopbars (cafés) (Cowlishaw et al, 2005).In several countries across east and southern Africa, including Kenya and Malawi, illegalbrew bars are a platform for trading bushmeat, since they satisfy the need for secretcommerce (Barnett, 2000). Direct house-to-house sales are also popular, and somehunters and traders operate with contracts to fortify confidentiality (Barnett, 2000).Bushmeat trade is more open in areas with less adequate law enforcement, includingMozambique (Barnett, 2000) and the Central and West African region.3.5.2 DemandWealthier inhabitants of urban areas are willing to pay more for bushmeat, which isperceived as a luxury product and a way of retaining cultural links to a traditional villagelifestyle (Barnett, 2000). People living in urban areas eat bushmeat out of preference, ratherthan necessity, and decrease the supply available to those who need it most (ABCG, 2004).Consumer demand can be decreased by:• Changing consumer preferences and tastes• Decreasing the price of substitutes and increasing availability• Increasing the price of bushmeatChanging preferences through environmental education is only likely to have an effectin areas where bushmeat is consumed as a luxury item, for example in urban areas(urban elites, restaurants and expatriates) rather than rural areas, where fewsubstitutes are available.Increasing the price of bushmeat could be achieved by decreasing the supply throughlaw enforcement (Wilkie and Carpenter, 1999), but unless there are substitutesavailable, a price increase would bolster economic incentives for hunting.3.5.3 PriceIt has been suggested that the practice of eating bushmeat is entrenched in some culturesand inherently preferred over domestic meat, even where the latter is cheaper (Rose, 2001,cited by Apaza et al, 2002). But some research suggests consumption habits are moresensitive to price and consumers choose the most affordable meat available or hunt forthemselves at no cost (Wilkie & Carpenter, 1999; Bowen-Jones, 1998; Apaza et al, 2002).Many studies have been carried out to determine price trends (Barnett, 2000; Steel,1994; King, 1994; Noss, 1998; Wilkie et al, 2005; Cowlishaw et al, 2005), but there isno governing precedent in bushmeat price across regions. Price dynamics are complexand influenced by fluctuating supply and demand. Typically, however, bushmeat is mostexpensive in urban areas (where supply is low) and least expensive in rural areas, wheresupply is high (Barnett, 2000). Fresh bushmeat is more expensive than the smokedproduct, which is common in urban centres because smoking preserves the meatduring transportation.41WSPA/APE ALLIANCE40