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What is BEAN?

BEAN is being established as an interdisciplinary and multi-institutional network consisting of stakeholders (wildlife professionals, human development experts, government representatives, private industry personnel, academic experts, local community leadership and citizens etc.) who work collaboratively to raise awareness, focus attention, share information, analyze, evaluate and report on trends, and leverage resources to build local partnerships to implement grassroots solutions that directly address bushmeat exploitation problems affecting protected and surrounding areas in Eastern Africa.

 
     
   
 
 

BEAN Vision

A bushmeat-free eastern Africa through increased protection, alternatives, awareness and sustainable utilization of wild fauna to conserve the region's rich bio diversity for the benefit of present and future generations.

 

BEAN Goal

To reduce bushmeat offtake in and around key protected areas in eastern Africa through a network of organizations and individuals working collaboratively to mobilize resources, share information, set priorities, and apply solutions.

 
         
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Bushmeat in
Eastern Africa

The actions of many people across eastern Africa are having an enormous impact on wildlife populations and the services they provide.

Although leading wildlife authorities work hard in their efforts to address illegal hunting, the capacity to address this problem is limited.

Many citizens are not aware that there is a bushmeat problem or what the problem is. Recent studies have determined that across Southern Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya there is a widespread, growing, illegal trade in wildlife for meat and money. This over-hunting is causing a reduction in numbers and diversity of wildlife.

In Kenya bushmeat hunting snare hunting is widespread with thousands of snares being recovered each year from protected areas and game ranches. Wildlife policy is under review and going by the current debate, there is no sign that bushmeat management will be given the attention it deserves.

In Southern Sudan bushmeat hunting with rifles is widespread in and around protected areas where many citizens rely on bushmeat as a source of protein and income. Lack of capacity to manage over-hunting has resulted in decline of many wildlife species including elephant, buffalo, zebra and giraffe.

In Tanzania trophy and subsistence hunting is legally allowed in wildlife areas outside the National Parks and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This type of consumptive wildlife utilization is controlled through quota and permit system, however, with limited capacity to manage illegal hunting.

In Uganda studies have shown declines in wildlife populations including hippopotamus, buffalo and elephant in protected areas due to hunting.

Reviews of wildlife professionals in Uganda and Tanzania have found that there is need for improvement in understanding of wildlife laws and governance systems. Laws do not adequately take into account the economic and other values of wildlife and require revision.

 

 

Bushmeat Trade

The bushmeat trade is the illegal, over-hunting of wildlife for meat and income.

Already in West and Central Africa this trade has resulted in declines and local extinctions of many wildlife species and the economic, cultural and ecosystem services they provide. In addition, a number of human health threats have emerged from the trade in bushmeat including linkages with HIV/AIDS, ebola and the threat of anthrax.

Bushmeat trade is not regulated or managed by any authority. Economic benefits from the trade go mainly to hunters and traders. If current trends continue, future generations of citizens in Africa will not have the opportunity to access benefits from wildlife. Using wildlife to meet protein and income demands cannot be supported in the long term.

The immediate threat of loss of economic opportunity, cultural and ecological services, and other values to a wider community must be addressed today.

 

Bushmeat Solutions

Alternatives for both protein and income are essential to change current trends in illegal, over-hunting of wildlife.

Improved policy, legislation and regulation of legal wildlife use is necessary if future generations of citizens in Africa will be able to have wildlife as part of their heritage to pass on to the next generation.

Individuals and institutions must become aware of the importance of this illegal, unsustainable trade and how it will impact future economics and ecology of their livelihoods.

Partnerships that bring together government authority, private industry, non-profit organization and local community ingenuity and effort can assure the future of wildlife populations in Africa and the many services they provide.

A change in both awareness and responsibility must be developed among all sectors of society to address this important conservation and cultural challenge.

 

     
 
   
     
  Bushmeat-free Eastern Africa Network

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