Bushmeat in Kenya

Category: Bushmeat africa | Date: Jan 29 2009 | By: bushmeateastafrica

For the last two days, the finest scientists and upcoming young conservation scientists have been presenting their papers in the Society of Conservation Biology (SCB) Science/Policy Regional Conference taking place in University of Ghana Noguchi Hall. Speakers from Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, DR Congo, Malawi, Kenya and Tanzania have so far presented their papers.

I have been most excited by the fact that young conservation scientists seem to dominate not only the presentations but also contribution in the discussions. There is hope in the future of our continent as it is clear there is effort to build capacity of young conservation leaders in our continent. Gender balance is also evident with half the presentation coming from women.

The conference is also a great networking opportunity as most participants are friendly and social – the true African spirit as you can see below.

The Bushmeat in eastern Africa symposium hosted by MENTOR Fellows was held on fridaay starting 11:30 am GMT.

Iregi Mwenja

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Category: findings | Date: Jan 09 2009 | By: bushmeateastafrica

The global financial crisis is adversely affecting every sector, including wildlife, a traditional source of food security in Africa. In times of hardship like drought, socio-economic and political turmoil, people have turned to wildlife as their source of food because other food sources become inaccessible. The current global financial crisis is not different. Companies are retrenching their staff as they grapple with the economic downturn. Without income to provide the basic necessities for their families, these retrenched workers turn to wildlife - most countries in Africa don’t have good policies that give clear ownership rights to communities living with wildlife. A such, wildlife is seen as a free-for-all resource that benefits only those who “use” it first. Hardly do people turn to their neighbor’s livestock for food security as there are clear laws guiding the livestock sector.

By the time you read this post, this two sparring male gazelle in Taita, Kenya might be turned into food or income as the poor grapple with the hard economic times arising from the global finacial crisis.

The situation in logging concessions in Cameroun clearly depict the situation in Africa. Due to the global financial crisis, the logging companies are now retrenching their workers and …………. “Poaching is intensifying …….. especially as the global financial crisis has affected logging companies, which are now retrenching most of their workers. The spiral of unemployment so created has led the jobless to turn to poaching as an alternative,” Click to read the artcicle here

Iregi Mwenja

Technorati : “food security”, BEAN, Bushmeat, Conservation, Poaching, hunting

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Category: findings | Date: Jan 06 2009 | By: bushmeateastafrica

A reader shared with me a link to an article in the Newsweek (dated January, 3rd 2009) which I found interesting especially for some of my readers who hold very strong views on hunting - whether for or against. The comments from the readers are even more intriguing. I have pasted a sample of these comments below.

Click here to read the full article

The comments;
Posted By: .xxxx

………………………………………………………………. Only manly men that are not whipped hunt, all others are weak, timid and dominated by women, right? The can’t decide on their own not to hunt ,for their own reasons.

I’m not against hunting, and that is just a very narrow minded way to think. People have all kinds of reasons for doing or not doing things. One shouldn’t assume the reasons.

• Posted By.xxx

Obviously you don’t understand evolution, or you would know that selective breeding IS a form of evolution, human driven.

• Posted By. xxxx

I agree that this person doesn’t understand hunting, but the hunters need to understand genetics too. I’m thinking that they need to be taught that getting the biggest one is a bad thing, and if they want to hunt for food to go for the ones that aren’t so big and healthy, like the animal predators do. They go for the ones that are easier to get, the less large and healthy. The attachment to the “trophies” is the problem, not hunting itself. If for food, then it makes sense. If only for trophies, then it’s a problem.

Technorati : BEAN, Bushmeat, Conservation, East Africa, Newsweek, hunting, poaching, sport hunting, suspect hunting contracts

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Category: Bushmeat kenya | Date: Jan 05 2009 | By: bushmeateastafrica

Few people understand the historical background of our current wildlife policy. But we all know that 31 years ago, hunting and trade in wildlife products was banned. Pundits have argued over the merits and demerits of the ban and its success in eliminating wildlife poaching - for trophy and meat. But how did we end up with such a policy when countries in the south took a different path? And why do people get so emotional about the issue of whether to allow or not allow sustainable consumptive use in Kenya?

Take a look at the 70 year evolution of our wildlife policy and the thorny issue of sustainable use plus some analysis some of the impact of this policy on bushmeat poaching in the current issue of ‘Swara’ wildlife magazine. Click here to view the article.

Iregi Mwenja

Bushmeat Researcher

Technorati : Bushmeat, Kenya, Poaching, Swara, hunting

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