Bush Meat Trade: The role of Politics, International law and economic hardship?
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Bush meat trade coupled with poaching for game trophies are threatening wildlife conservation now more than ever before. In 8 de-snaring operations over a one year period, ANAW team lifted 1021 wire snares and arrested 13 bush meat poachers in various wildlife areas. The de-snaring team also found 56 carcasses 32 of which were fresh. During interactions with communities in wildlife regions, joblessness and harsh weather conditions top the list of excuses to justify the illegal actions. Indeed, weather conditions in most wildlife regions has made unviable any other economic activities like farming.
The collapse in tourism in 2008 as a result of the post election crisis in Kenya threatened to worsen the case. ANAW’s de-snaring team observed that more people turned to poaching to fend for their families evidenced by the number of wire snares recovered and poachers arrested during the year.
According to Mwakideu Kambi from Voi, many other people were expecting to turn to poaching for bush meat trade if they lost their jobs in the tourism sector. “My community benefits directly from tourism as gate revenues pay for the wildlife conflict compensation scheme,” explained Mwakideu.
Bush Meat Culprits Arrested
Other wildlife conservation experts also observed that there was an upsurge in poaching in many parts of Kenya especially for the elephant blaming it on the ivory trade in Southern Africa. An estimated 98 elephants were killed in 2008 compared to 48 that were lost in 2007 according to head of species management at the Kenya Wildlife Service, Patrick Omondi. The surge in poaching has been attributed to the lifting of the international ban in ivory trade by the CITES. The trade aspect is most daunting. Wildlife Authorities say criminals have enlisted the locals in the hunt for precious commodities like ivory, lion teeth, leopard skin, and sandalwood among others. Several foreigners have been arrested in Kenya while they attempted to smuggle out such game trophies.
Poaching is likely to continue, posing a challenge to all those involved in conservation and protection of wildlife. The current economic crunch further worsens the situation.What strategies therefore to combat this unprecedented trend?