Ammann and other longtime observers say they know of no primate hunters being prosecuted. Other countries, like Cameroon, want development aid for village schools and water systems in exchange for conservation guarantees. The bill is modeled after successful elephant and rhino measures. That s equal to the operating budget of a single large national park in the United States, such as Yellowstone. There s a lot of disposable income in this country and we need to tap into it, said Conservation International s Russell Mittermier.
Price is another way to control the trade and reduce demand.
Trouble is, westerners can t agree what bush meat costs or how much to tax it. Often the meat is heavily smoked and dishes are cloaked in wine-based or peanut sauces. But in frontier towns, the unadorned meat sells for a fraction of the cost of beef and chicken. It s protein that poor people can afford. We re not sure what s driving the trade, Wilkie said.