Cambridge, UK, October 16, 2009 - New analytical techniques have revealed that the scale of bush meat trade in Central Africa may be much larger than originally thought according to a study published today by TRAFFIC, wildlife trade monitoring network. The study strongly supports the view that the current situation surrounding wild animals hunting in Central African rainforests is precarious. The analysis reveals that, bush meat extraction rose considerably in the Congo Basin between 1990 and 2005, despite the overall decrease in forest cover in Central Africa. To better picture the extent of the situation, please do have a look at the photograph (right) presenting animals piled up on the MINFOF' esplanade in Cameroun during the Operation "coup de poing". There were 45 living animals, 228 remains, and 42 various pieces, in October 16, 2009.

In addition, this publication follows the workshop for the development of the national strategy and action plan on bush meat held in Kinshasa in September 23-24, 2009. According to the organizers, this workshop witnessed a great national, sub regional and international mobilization. At the end of hard exchanges, the workshop participants could formulate " three major axes on which the future strategy and action plan on bush meat in DRC would be structured: (1) improvement of the effectiveness on the legal and institutional framework, (2) initiation and promotion of alternative activities to meat of bush consumption and marketing (3) awakening the awareness on the bush meat issues by all the parties. Axes of monitoring and capacity building have been qualified as transverse." The photograph on the left presents officials (from left to right): Mr. Dieudonné MBAYO (UICN), Mr. Albert LIKUNDE (Secretary General MECNT), Mr. Petrus NDONGALA-VIENGELE (MECNT), Mr. Idi Omari India (ADGA-ICCN), Mr. Stephan RINGUET (International TRAFFIC) during the opening ceremony in September 23, 2009. Photograph © Eva Paule Mouzong/TRAFFIC.

Earlier in September 18, 2009, TRAFFIC received a funding from France for the monitoring of bush meat trade in Central Africa. This funding was granted within the framework of an agreement signed between the French Government and IUCN to support sustainable management of biodiversity. TRAFFIC which is a monitoring network of wildlife trade is a joint programme of French Government and UICN. TRAFFIC's mission aims at ensuring that wild animals and plants trade does not threaten nature conservation.

For more information please consult the following link:

New analysis sounds alarm over scale of bushmeat trade in Central Africa"

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