Conservationists at an eight-day environment meeting in Amman that ends on Wednesday said the demand for meat from gorillas, chimpanzees, turtles, birds and other species was high and increasing. Bushmeat is a source of food and protein in poor rural areas of developing countries and trade in meat, skins and other products from exotic species has mushroomed into a multi-million dollar industry. It is a growing force in species and biodiversity loss. Conservationists said they are urging the IUCN to pressure governments to take steps to curtail the trade in bushmeat. Logging and mining industries have opened up remote areas, giving hunters access to animals that were previously beyond their reach.
Migrant workers hunt wildlife because it is a cheap source of food.
Wars, growing populations and poverty have also contributed to the problem. In addition to the environmental impact, eating bushmeat has serious implications for human health, Bakarr said. Scientists believe the HIV virus that causes AIDS jumped species when humans ate chimpanzees infected with a similar virus. Bushmeat has also been linked to the transmission of the deadly Ebola virus in the Ivory Coat. Conservationists believe the illegal use of bushmeat involves more people and has a greater impact on wild animal populations than any other wildlife activity.