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Preferences and present demand for bushmeat in north Cameroon: some implications for wildlife conservation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 October 2009

Hanson Langmia Njiforti
Hanson Langmia Njiforti*
Affiliation:
Institute of Animal and Veterinary Research (IRZV), Post Box 77 Maroua, Cameroon
*
* Hanson Langmia Njiforti, The Centre for Environmental Studies and Development in Cameroon, Post Box 410, Maroua, Cameroon Tel: +237 29 30 61 Fax: +237 29 33 91
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Summary

Although bushmeat is known locally to be an important source of protein, large-scale patterns of demand are poorly defined. One area for which information is especially lacking is northern Cameroon, and this study therefore conducted a survey of 345 households in this region. Information sought from questionnaire interviews included the frequency of consumption, species preferences, and prices of bushmeat, together with people's perceptions of trends in the wildlife population involved. Bushmeat was estimated to represent c. 24% of the animal protein intake in the region and respondents generally preferred bushmeat to meat from domestic livestock. North African porcupine (Hystrix cristata) was the most preferred species, closely followed by guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), and Buffon's kob (Kobus kob). There was a tendency for the price of a kilogramme of bushmeat to decrease with the weight of the animal. A majority of the respondents said they perceived declines in some wild animal species within the last 10 years. For those who eat bushmeat one or more times a week, there was a tendency for villagers to eat more bushmeat than for people in towns. A number of measures should be taken, including wildlife farming and domestication and anti-poaching measures in national parks.

Keywords

bushmeatCameroonconservationnational parkwildlifebiodiversity
Type
Papers
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 23 , Issue 2 , June 1996 , pp. 149 - 155
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 1996

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